For Those You Love
by HarryPotterTwin
Summary: Basically an AU of Lee and Carley's life leading up to the apocolypse. No Senator, no ex-wife. Just CarLee :P Rated T for swearing. All credit goes to Screwbatteries on Tumblr for the cover image! An amazing artist, who drew this for me, so yeah. Check out her blog!
1. Chapter 1

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 1**

"Come on, man!" Lee heard. His brother, Bradley, was hosting a new year's party for his college friends. So far, he had spent the entire party (which he was chaperoning) by the refreshment table, moping. "Are you going to be a complete bummer _all_ night?"

"I didn't even want to be here!" He hissed, adjusting his blue shirt-collar with a sweaty hand. "Mom and dad _made_ me stay!"

"Well, at least _look_ fucking happy!" the younger man spat, turning away from his brother to dance with some scantily-clad girls. Lee shook his head and turned back looked around the party. He seemed to lose himself, as he didn't notice a rather small woman approach him.

"Um… excuse me?" She said, attracting his attention. He jumped away from the table and gestured for her to help herself to the punch bowl (which he had been standing in front of).

"Sorry about that…" He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment and blushing. She smiled, making her emerald eyes glow. Something warmed Lee, making his smile too.

"It's fine." She said. He expected her to walk away but she simply relaxed next to him, sipping on her drink. "I see I'm not the only non-party animal here tonight."

"Yeah." He laughed, stuffing his hands in his pockets and copying her actions, feeling the edge of the table against his legs. The silence that followed was comfortable. "So, what college degree are you doing?"

"Journalism and Mass Communication." She replied, turning her head to look at him, her short, brown hair shining in the light. "What about you?"

"Oh, uh, I did an Education degree two years ago and I'm working at the local elementary school." He shrugged. "Oh, shit. I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Lee. Lee Everett."

"Carley." She smiled, taking the man's hand and shaking it. "Carley Palmer."

"Nice to meet you Carley." He smiled, letting go of her hand and looking around the room once again. The music suddenly got loud and he turned his attention back. "Fancy going outside?" He shouted above the noise.

"Yeah!" She answered, a pained expression on her face.

**Four Hours Later**

"Thanks for taking me to that pizza place." Carley smiled as they approached the pharmacy arm-in-arm. "No offence to your mom and dad, but salad isn't really what I had in mind for party food."

"None taken." He smiled, offering her a bite of the slice he held in his hand. She accepted and rested her head on his shoulder. "Besides, I'd rather be out here with you than in _there_."

"Really?" She asked, looking up at him in surprise. He simply smiled down to her.

"Yeah, I would."

"Aw, you're just a big sweetheart aren't you?" She laughed as he took another bite.

"That's me." He shrugged, clearing his throat loudly.

"Well, I'm glad I came to this New Year's party." She smiled once again, snuggling into his arm. His face broke out into an even bigger grin as he offered her the last of his pizza.

"I'm glad too."

"Hey! Lee!" They heard. Lee looked up from their private moment to see his brother gesturing them in. "It's the last dance before New Year! A _slow_ one!"

Lee looked back down to the small woman, raising his eyebrow and chuckling.

"Well? You wanna dance with me?"

"I don't know… I'm not a dancer…" She said, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. Lee took her hand in his.

"Neither am I…"

"Alright. Just don't tell me I didn't warn you." She laughed, shaking her head as he led her back indoors. He led her to the centre of the room and wrapped his arms softly around her waist. She wrapped her slender arms around his neck and looked deeply into his eyes.

_I see it in the way you would do_

_When no one else could ever get through_

_Holding back till I come around_

_Time and time again you wait for me to come in_

_And did you really look my way? _

_Cuz no one could of seen this coming_

_I would never let you down_

_If I was running backwards in full time_

He pulled her closer, feeling her head rest on his shoulder and let out a sigh of content.

_So I can and I will and you'll see your hero come running_

_Over and over tonight_

_And I do wanna love you_

_If you see me running back_

_And I do wanna try_

_Because if falling for you girl is crazy_

_Then I'm going out of my mind_

_So hold back your tears this time_

The couple swayed back and forth, enjoying the other's presence.

_Me, I'm used to being tired and bloody_

_But you believed that I could be somebody_

_You put your world on hold for me_

_Gave away to follow failure through the fire_

_I need you to know I will_

_Believe me girl I'm so tired of running_

_I just wanna hold your hand_

_Stare at you like you've got everything I need_

Lee thought about the woman in his arms. She was two years his junior, yet she seemed so mature. He knew he could fall for her.

_And I can so I will and you'll see your hero come running_

_Over and over tonight_

_And I do wanna love you_

_If you see me running back_

_And I do wanna try_

_Because if falling for you girl is crazy_

_Then I'm going out of my mind_

_So hold back your tears this time_

Carley pulled back from his shoulder and stared deep into his dark, chocolate brown eyes. He stared back into her emeralds.

_And what if I never said to you I was dynamite_

_And what if I never told you I'm afraid to cry_

_What if I never let you down_

_And said I'm sorry for the nights I can't remember_

_What if I never said to you I would try_

_Yeah Yeah Yeaahh_

Lee started to lean down, opening his mouth slightly. Carley closed her own eyes in anticipation. He gently connected their lips, holding the back of her head softly.

_And I do wanna love you_

_If you see me running back_

_And I do wanna try_

_Because if falling for you girl is crazy_

_Then I'm going out of my mind_

_So hold back your tears this time_

_And I do wanna love you_

_If you see me running back_

_And I do wanna try_

_Because if falling for you girl is crazy_

_Then I'm going out of my mind_

_So hold back your tears this time_

"**HAPPY NEW YEAR!"**

The two lovers broke away from each other and smiled, resting their foreheads against the other's.

"Happy new year…" Lee whispered, his breath rugged. Carley bit her bottom lip and smiled.

"Happy new year." She murmured back, standing on tip-toe for another kiss.


	2. Popping The Question

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 2**

**Seven Months Later**

"_Alright… Calm yourself, Lee."_ He thought to himself, shifting his footing and fixing his tie absentmindedly. His palms were sweating uncontrollably as he waited for a response. _"They love you! They won't kill you!"_

He broke away from his thoughts when the door opened, revealing a small woman with blonde hair that was pulled back in a messy bun and brown eyes.

"Oh, Lee! What a surprise!" She said, smiling and bringing him in for a hug. He accepted it, patting her back softly. She let go of him and gestured him inside. "Carley should be home in a little while. Why don't you go make yourself comfortable in the living room?"

"Um, actually, I'm not here to see Carley." He admitted, his nerves once again taking over. "I wanted to talk to you and David about something."

"Of course." She said, looking at me sceptically. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Uh, a glass of water, if that's okay?" He smiled, seeing her signal for him to walk into the next room. He did as she asked and saw Carley's father, David, reading a newspaper in his armchair. He looked up to see the younger man hovering in the doorway and smiled happily, the eyes that Carley shared staring at him.

"Hey son!" He said, putting his paper down and leaning forward. "What do I owe this pleasure?"

"I… uh… wanted to talk to you and Jennifer about something…" He muttered, sitting down on the large couch and resting his elbows on his knees.

"Alright…"

"Here you go, Lee." They heard. Lee stood to accept the drink and cleared his throat as she sat next to her husband. He sat back down on the couch and took a sip, awaiting the inevitable question.

"So, what did you need to talk about?"

"I… as you know, Carley and I have been dating for a while now and… well, I know it's soon but I wanted your blessing to ask her to marry me." He stammered, looking down at his hands.

He waited while the two older people came to terms with his shock announcement. Sure, he was twenty three and Carley was twenty one, but he knew how he felt.

"Well…" David started after what felt like an eternity. "How could we say no?"

Lee's eyebrows shot into his hairline and his face broke out into a grin.

"Seriously?"

"Of course, son. I know you love our daughter and, more importantly, I know that she loves you. Who are we to stand in the way?" He assured, standing and walking over to the shaking man. He held his hand out and shook Lee's hand, bringing him in for a manly hug. "Just make me one promise?"

"Of course, sir. Anything." He replied, nodding his head eagerly and letting out a sigh of relief, ready for almost anything.

"You never lay one finger on her without her say-so." He said, jabbing Lee's chest with his index finger.

"You don't even need me to answer that, sir. I would never do that in a million years."

**Two Days Later (Sunday)**

"Hey beautiful!" Lee greeted, opening the door to his parents' home and hugging his girlfriend tightly. She wore a knee-length yellow dress and matching flats. Her hair was hung loosely around her shoulders and in her hand was a small clutch purse.

"Hello yourself." She smiled back, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. He lifted her with ease and heard her giggle in surprise. "Put me down!"

He did as she asked and kissed her softly.

"Thank you." She laughed, playfully swatting his arm. He feigned pain and gestured for her to walk inside. She did as he asked, leaving him with her parents.

"You ready son?" David asked, shrugging his jacket off and hanging it up on the coatrack. Lee shrugged as he hugged Jennifer.

"As I'll ever be." He replied, closing the door behind them. They followed the sound of music to the back garden, where Lee's father, James, stood over the BBQ and his mother, Christine, chatted away to Carley.

Everyone milled around for a while, simply enjoying each other's company. Eventually, James called them over to collect their food. Grabbing a plate and sitting himself down, Lee tucked into his burger and felt his heart pound in his chest.

"_Not long now."_ He thought, quickly losing his appetite. He saw Carley walking over to him, carrying her own plate.

"Mind if I join you?" She asked, plopping herself down into the closest lawnchair. He chuckled, shaking his head. He reached over and gently took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. The look she sent his way confirmed it. He was going to ask her in private, but… screw it.

"Alright! Listen up!" He called, attracting everyone's attention and standing up. Carley's eyes narrowed in confusion as she tilted her head to the side. "I was gonna do this in private, but… oh, to hell with it!"

He took one of his girlfriends' hands in his and brought her up to stand with him, still receiving confused looks from her, his parents and his brother. He took a calming breath before pressing on.

"Carley, to put it simply, I love you. We've been dating for seven months… the best seven months of my life." He said, letting the words flow freely. "You are the only woman I could imagine spending the rest of my life with, growing old. So, Carley…"

He got down on one knee and checked his pocket. He felt the small box and brought it out in front of him, seeing her eyes welled up with tears. He snapped the box open, revealing a white-gold ring. In the centre sat a single, small diamond.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, looking up for her reaction. She seemed dumbfounded for a second before nodding eagerly. Lee let out a sigh of relief and stood, embracing her tightly, the ring still in his trembling hand. "I love you."

"I love you too." She pulled away, smiling brighter than he'd ever seen her. He showed her the ring and her smile got even wider. Gently, he slipped it on her finger. Only then did they remember their families. They both looked across to see Jennifer and Christine hugging each other with tears streaming down their faces, James and David clapping and Brad shaking his head, a small smile on his face.

"I'm telling you, Lee." He said, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "You're gonna regret this."


	3. I Do

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 3**

**A/N- The song used in this chapter is 'Forever In Your Eyes' by Zach DuBois. Please listen to it? It's fucking fantastic! Copy and paste the link to listen to the version I used here!**

** watch?v=KJbltr3s9fE**

**Two Months Later**

"I'm telling you, Lee." Brad said, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "You're gonna regret this."

"Do me a favour?" Lee asked, sitting on the edge of his bead and staring at his tux (that was hanging on his bedroom door) in complete fear. So far, nothing was going right. The florist was nowhere to be seen, Brad was constantly trying to talk him out of his impending nuptials and his father insisted upon giving him 'the talk' in preparation for his wedding night. "Shut the fuck up."

"Anything you say, buddy." He replied, sitting down next to him and ruffling his hair, receiving a glare. Safe to say, his hand retracted and came to rest on his lap. After an awkward silence, he pressed on. "So, are you nervous?"

"Truthfully?" The older of the two asked, his hands visibly shaking. He shook his head and chuckled at his own stupidity. Seeing his brother nod, he continued. "I'm shitting myself."

"Ah, come on man!" He laughed, standing and hovering over his brother. "What's to be nervous about?! You're getting married to a woman who loves you more than life itself! You're about to spend the rest of your life with the woman you love!"

Lee looks up at the younger man, a small smile on his face.

"You've changed your tune." He observed. Ever since proposing, he had been trying to talk him out of it; telling him he'd regret it.

"Yeah, well, what best man doesn't at least _try_ to talk the groom out of it?" He shrugged, resting their foreheads together. "You're my brother and you deserve happiness. Now, come on, get that tux on and get yourself married."

Lee stood and walked towards the bathroom, unhooking his suit and taking it with him. One last glance back and he closed the door.

**Five Minutes Later**

"Hey, Brad!" Lee shouted, walking out and growling at the material around his neck that simply refused to work with him. "Think you can help me out?" He gave it one last try before losing his temper and looking up.

His mother was standing in the doorway, looking shell shocked at her son. Tears welled up in her eyes as she shuffled towards him, her hands outstretched, ready to take the material from him. He smiled, letting his hands drop as she fixed the long, red silk tie.

"Y'know…" She whispered, not taking her eyes away from her hands. "It seems like just yesterday I was doing this for Sunday school. You _still_ can't do it properly."

She smoothed the offending article and fixed his collar, all the while keeping her eyes downcast.

"My baby boy… getting married." She sighed, looking like she was about to cry. Lee brought his hand up to hold her wrist softly and rubbed his thumb slowly against her skin.

"I'm still here, mom." He assured softly, hating the sight of her crying. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I know, it's just…" She shook her head, evidently not wanting to say it and moving her hand. "Oh, never mind. I just hope for your sake that Carley can do ties."

He chuckled, grabbing his black suit jacket off the hanger and pulling it over himself. He turned to face the mirror, fully taking in his appearance. His jaw was covered in a small amount of stubble. He was wearing a white shirt, red cravat, cream coloured vest and a black jacket, over a pair of fitted black trousers. His short hair was in its usual unruly spikes, standing up in all directions.

"Alright, bud!" He heard, snapping his attention to the doorway, where Brad was standing, wearing his own tux. The only difference was the cravat; his was cream. "Everyone's here."

His mother gave him one last kiss on the cheek and shuffled out, leaving the two men alone.

"So, you got the ring?" Brad finally asked after what seemed like an eternity. Lee nodded mutely, tapping his pants pocket in an attempt to calm his nerves. "Great. Now then! Let's get you married!"

The older brother had a completely terrified look on his face all the way to the car.

**Ten Minutes Later (At the Church)**

"Alright, Carley should be here about now." Brad said, plopping down on the pew, next to his brother. A mischievous smirk played on his features. "Now, are you sure you don't need to tinkle?"

Lee chuckled and shook his head. The preacher (that Lee swore was older that God himself) entered from the back and stood at the altar.

"Please stand to welcome the bridal party." He said, his soft voice echoing all around the church. The two men at the front stood, along with the rest of their families at turned their heads to the entrance.

The first to come through were the flower girl and ring bearer, looking as cute as ever (seeing as they were both five years old), followed by their mother, who was Carley's maid of honor.

Then, the two bridesmaids floated in, wearing knee-length red dresses and carrying little bouquets of red roses. They took their places in the pews and the music picked up. Lee saw the preached gesture for him to stand with him and obeyed. The sounds of 'Pachelbel's Canon' echoed in their ears when he saw her, an angel in white at the back of the church. Her dress was the perfect fit of her, hugging her in all the right places. Her hair was pulled back into a bun at the bottom of her neck, with two strands hanging by the side of her face.

A grin was widening on her face and he mirrored it, his nerves ebbing away quickly. Before he knew it, he was shaking David's hand and taking Carley's in his own.

"You look beautiful…" He choked out, receiving a beaming smile in response. He didn't notice the preacher telling everyone to sit back down, or the numerous readings going on. All he paid attention to was the woman beside him.

"Lee and Carley have memorized their vows. Would you like to recite them before god and your families." The old man requested, flicking through his bible and staring at them expectantly.

Lee's heart stopped. Sure, he'd memorized them, but would he be able to recall them? So far, it had just been him and Brad; not a whole fucking church! He turned to take both of Carley's hands in his and took a deep breath, steadying himself.

"I, Lee, take you, Carley, to be my wife,

and these things I promise you:

I will be faithful to you and honest with you;

I will respect, trust, help and care for you;

I will share my life with you;

I will forgive you as we have been forgiven;

and I will try with you better to understand ourselves, the world, and God;

through the best and the worst of what is to come as long as we live."

He stopped, looking to the preacher, who gave him a small thumbs up, making the families chuckle.

"Now, Carley, do the same."

"I, Carley, take you, Lee, to be my husband,

and these things I promise you:

I will be faithful to you and honest with you;

I will respect, trust, help and care for you;

I will share my life with you;

I will forgive you as we have been forgiven;

and I will try with you better to understand ourselves, the world, and God;

through the best and the worst of what is to come as long as we live."

"Well done." He spoke up, once again joining us at the altar. He looked to the little boy on the front row. "Can I have the rings, young man?"

The boy toddled up the few steps, almost falling, only to have Carley help him back up again and be on his way. He handed the cushion over and sprinted back to his seat.

"Now we will have the blessing of the rings: May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this affectionate unity. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go, they will always return to one another in their togetherness. These two find in each other the love for which all men and women yearn. They promise to grow in understanding and in compassion. The home which they establish together will be such a place of sanctuary that many will find there a friend. These rings, on their fingers, symbolize the touch of the Spirit of Love in their hearts." He said, slowly untying them from the cushion. "Lee, take Carley's ring and place in on the third finger of her left hand."

He did as he asked, taking the thin, silver band and slipping it on her slender finger.

"Now, Carley. Take Lee's ring and place it on the third finger of his left hand."

She mirrored Lee's actions, slipping the silver band on his larger finger.

"By the power vested in me, in the presence of your families and god himself, it gives me great pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. Lee, you may kiss your bride."

Lee grinned, bringing his hand up to her cheek and kissing her softly. Cheers erupted around them. They pulled apart and she linked her arm through his as he led her back down the aisle, turning left before reaching the door and into an adjoining room to sign the register.

After what felt like an eternity, they threw open the church doors and were greeted with camera flashes, confetti and cheers.

The two newlyweds had to make their way to the reception and hopped in the car, hearing cheers and wolf-whistles as they went.

**Ten Minutes Later**

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Mr and Mrs Everett!" The DJ shouted over applause. The song 'I Do' by Colbie Callait started playing and they made their grand enterance, their hands clasped together and huge smiles on their faces. They made their way to the dance floor and held each other tightly. "They will now take their first dance."

Brad took to the stage, making sure his guitar was tuned. Once satisfied, he spoke into the microphone.

"Uh, Carley doesn't know this, but Lee helped me write this song. He wanted to surprise her so… anyway, this is for you two on your wedding day." He started strumming a soft tune and the newlyweds rocked back and forth in each other's arms.

_It was the 1st of January when I first met you _

_On a late Winter night_

_Jasmine filled the air_

Lee brought Carley further into the embrace and kissed her, resting their foreheads together. Anyone could see they were in love.

_Your silhouette in a crowded room_

_As the moonlight came down_

_And danced upon your hair_

If anyone had told her that she would be married by the end of the year, she would have laughed in their face. Now, well, anything was possible. She married the man of her dreams.

_That's when fate stepped in, and the best of my life began_

_God sent an angel_

_To answer my prayers_

_I found my future_

_When I caught your stare_

_I knew my searchin' was over_

_For the rest of my life_

_Cuz I saw forever in your eyes_

Tears welled up in her eyes. Lee had helped write this! Hell, she never thought he could write _essays_, never mind music!

_Standin' on this alter now_

_As you walk down the aisle_

_Most beautiful sight a man can see_

_Smilin' tryin to hide my tears_

_I take your hand in mine_

_As your dad gives you to me_

_In a flowing dress of white, you're gonna be my wife_

Lee smiled happily. He was dancing with his _wife_! God, he never thought he'd get a girlfriend. He pulled his head back to look into Carley's eyes and kissed her tenderly.

_God sent an angel_

_To answer my prayers_

_I found my future_

_When I caught your stare_

_I knew my searchin' was over_

_For the rest of my life_

_Cuz I saw forever in your eyes_

Brad looked at his brother and his sister-in-law happily. Yeah, he'd given Lee grief, but he needed him to be happy. He never had much luck with girls. Now, his luck had changed. He'd found the one.

_I see babies_

_A new family_

_And your wrinkled hand in mine_

_Together for all time_

_God sent an angel_

_To answer my prayers_

_I found my future_

_When I caught your stare_

_I knew my searchin' was over_

_For the rest of my life_

_Cuz I saw forever in your eyes_

They came to a halt, just looking in the other's eyes.

"I love you…" Lee muttered, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"I love you too, Lee…" She replied, thoroughly looking forward to the rest of her life as Carley Everett.


	4. A Low What?

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 4**

**Six Months Later**

"Honey! I'm home!" Lee called, stepping into their home and dumping his bags at the bottom of the stairs. Hearing no response, he crinkled his forehead in confusion and shrugged his blazer off before shuffling through to the kitchen. He smiled in relief, seeing his wife bent over her laptop, hurriedly typing while gulping a cup of coffee. Her hair short hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and her shirt was untucked over her skirt. He walked over and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Have a nice day at work?" She asked, not taking her eyes off the screen in front of her. Lee chuckled slightly, loosening his tie and pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

"Yeah, did you?" He replied, leaning against the kitchen counter and taking a sip. She turned, her emerald eyes glaring.

"What do you think?" She somewhat growled, scaring him slightly. He shrugged his shoulders, making her groan in exhaustion. "My boss is making me do my entire report over by tomorrow! Because of _one_ lousy spelling mistake! Can you believe her?!"

He listened intently as she ranted to him. This, he found, had become almost a ritual since she had started working for WABE. Her boss seemed to have it out for her, and they both knew it. He put his glass down in the sink, walked over to her and massaged her shoulders gently.

"Carley… you have _got _to relax…" He murmured, kissing her temple and feeling her shoulders slump.

"You're right." She muttered, standing to kiss him passionately. He lifted her off her feet easily and felt her wrap her legs around his waist. He kissed her back just as enthusiastically, wrapping his arms around her back while he felt her hands on the back of his neck, running through his hair. Eventually, she pulled away, biting her bottom lip nervously. "Lee, we need to talk."

Fear consumed him, making him go numb. He set her back down and pulled her chair back out, allowing her a seat before pulling his own seat around to face her.

"Sure, honey." He smiled, taking her hand in his. She seemed to become more nervous and twitchy. "What's on your mind?"

She waited a while, trying to figure out the words to say. What would he think? They had only been married for six months!

"I… I was wondering about…" She started, stammering slightly. Lee chuckled. For a reporter, she wasn't very good with words. "I was wondering what you thought about… trying for a baby."

The words hit him like a freight train. A baby… a small human… She was getting broody! That's all! For a while, he thought she wanted a divorce (or something on those lines). He ran his hand through his hair and leaned back, letting go of her hand in the process.

Evidently, he gave off the wrong impression, because disappointment flooded into her features for a millisecond before ebbing away and being replaced with a (fake) smile.

"No! Carley, I didn't… I **want** to!" He corrected, his eyes widening at his own mistake. She looked at him in surprise.

"You're serious?" She asked, a genuine smile now on her face. "You're not just saying that?"

"Of course not!"

"So, we're trying?" She asked, standing and walking over to him. He nodded, pulling her down onto his lap.

"Well, why don't we just _stop _trying to not get pregnant? Throw the condoms and the pill away?" He asked, kissing her neck gently. She looked thoughtful for a moment before kissing him back.

"Good idea. That way, we don't have to say we're trying." She summarised, smiling at her husband.

**Three Years Later**

Still no luck. They had been trying for too long. Carley was starting to get seriously broody and Lee was getting frustrated.

"I've made the appointment for tomorrow." Carley said, hanging the phone on its cradle and turning to face Lee, who was reading his newspaper in his armchair. He sighed, folding the newspaper and putting it on the coffee table, gesturing for her to sit on his lap. She did as he asked and relaxed into his embrace. Eventually, she spoke, her voice soft. "Three years, Lee… I know it's me… I know there's something wrong with me…"

"Hey… shh… You don't _know_ that." He soothed, kissing her temple softly and smoothing her hair. He took her hand in his and ran a thumb over her knuckles. "We could just be doing it wrong…"

The next day, they dressed in casual clothes (Lee in a t-shirt and jeans, Carley in a blouse and jeans) and made their way to the fertility clinic. After countless forms, they settled in a waiting room, shifting uncomfortably in the plastic chairs.

Carley seemed to not settle, shuffling around in her seat and moving her feet. Lee reached over and took her hand in his, seeing their wedding bands sparkle in the light. He looked in her eyes, shocked to see worry and stress in the place of happiness and calmness. He sent her a small smile and squeezed her hand gently, relieved to see her mirror his actions.

"Mr and Mrs Everett?" A voice called, alerting them. Lee raised his hand, smiling at the young woman in the doorway that was holding a clipboard. He felt Carley tense and led her to the open doorway.

The young woman led them to a sterile room and told them to sit down, smiling all the while. Somehow, Lee took this as a good sign. She was _smiling_!

"Now… You have no reason to be nervous…" She said, seeing Carley's edginess. Lee took her hand once more and squeezed it tightly. She didn't relax. "Well, your tests have come through and unfortunately… there _is_ a problem."

"It's me, isn't it?" Carley asked, her eyes wide and her breathing fast. The woman looked at her sympathetically and patted her knee.

"There isn't an easy way to do this so I'm just going to come out and say it." She said, looking at us both apologetically. "But you have to remember the different options you have, and take time to choose which is best for you-"

"I'm sorry, but I thought you were just going to come out and say it?" Lee asked, fully aware of his wife's embarrassment and fears. The woman turned to him and leaned back in her chair, understanding his position. She tried to figure the right words to say to them.

Eventually, she figured, she just had to tell them. She couldn't make them suffer any more than they already had.

"It's you, Lee." She said finally. "You have a low sperm count."

Lee went numb. There had to be some mistake… _had_ to be. He was so sure everything was okay, that they would just be doing something wrong. The world spun and he felt the floor fall from beneath his feet.

"Seriously?" He heard Carley's voice ask, but it seemed distant. Everything seemed distant. He felt her cool hand wrap around his wrist. Seeing the doctor nod her head sadly, Carley turned to face her dumbfounded husband. Her heart broke to see him like that: completely broken. He wasn't crying… he never cried… but he was close to it. "Shit…"

The journey home was uneventful. Lee hadn't spoken a word since they had received the news; not even swearing at the other drivers. He entered the house and walked straight to the living room, plopping down on the couch and staring straight ahead of him while Carley closed and locked the door. She followed him and stopped in the doorway, taking in the sight of the man before her and leaning against the doorframe.

"You want a coffee?" Carley asked softly, a sad smile on her face. She saw him nod slowly and walked to the kitchen, setting her purse down on the counter and pouring the coffee beans into the steamer. While she was waiting for it to boil, she thought about the last couple of hours. The nurse had given them numerous leaflets with (frankly) inappropriate titles and told them their options. They could use a sperm donor, adopt, keep trying naturally or try using IVF.

The coffee machine beeped, indicating the liquid was ready. She grabbed two mugs and poured it out, the aroma reaching her nostrils and making her long to curl up in her pyjamas and relax. Unfortunately, this was not the case, as she had set herself a goal to make Lee talk, at least once, before she did anything productive. She picked the steaming mugs up and walked steadily back through to the living room, finding Lee in the same place she had left him.

"Hey…" She said, sitting down next to him and placing the mug in front of him. He turned his head slightly and a small smile played on his features. To the untrained eye, his smile would have passed as genuine, but to Carley, she knew he was trying to be strong. He would let it all out later, when she was asleep.

They stayed like that for a while, simply sitting in silence, before Lee finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry…" He muttered, looking down at his palms. He was on the verge of tears, shaking his head and keeping his eyes closed. "I'm so _fucking_ sorry…"

Carley's head snapped in his direction and she blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to figure out why this was happening. She leaned forward, taking his hands in hers and looked deeply into his eyes.

"Lee, don't you dare apologise…" She started, cupping his cheek and rubbing her thumb over the thick layer of stubble on his jaw.

"But… it's all my fault!" He said, pulling his head away sharply. Carley sucked in a breath and let her hand drop. She let him talk. "If you wanted a divorce, I wouldn't blame you…"

She stood and knelt down in front of him, sighing loudly. He continued to rant, hating himself.

"Lee, you stupid man…" She started slowly, patting his knee and holding back tears of her own. It broke her heart to see him like this. "Yeah, I want a baby… but you're the only person I could ever have one with.

"You can't help having a low sperm count. _I know that!_ I don't blame you for anything! I _know_ you want to be a dad… _I_ want to be a _mom_… but we _have_ to live with the hand we're dealt."

Carley had tears streaming down her face now, not caring about how she looked. Her husband was all that mattered. He brought her into his warm embrace and held her tightly, feeling tears stream down his own face. They sobbed to each other for longer than they could say, simply holding one another.

**Two Months Later**

Carley's eyes fluttered open, the sudden light almost blinding her. She turned over and looked at her sleeping husband. He looked so innocent when he slept… like nothing could hurt him. He was still broken up about his infertility. How could he not be?

Suddenly, she threw the covers off her and bolted out of the bed and stumbling to the bathroom. She hugged the bowl and painfully spilled the contents of her stomach. After a while, she felt cool fingertips brush against her neck and her hair being pulled back, away from the vomit.

She groaned and slumped against the cool floor tiles, now sweating profusely, wiping her mouth. She heard Lee's voice from the doorway.

"Look, you're going to the university's clinic." He grumbled. He had been telling her to get help for this bout of… whatever she had, for weeks. "Free care for faculty members and their families."

She nodded, shivering as the coldness of the tiles fully hit her.

Two hours later, Carley emerged from the infirmary with an unreadable expression on her face. When Lee saw her approaching, he sat up straighter in the car seat and snapped to attention. She sighed and plopped down into the passenger side, pulling a little piece of paper from her purse and hiding he image from him.

"So… how'd it go?" He asked, looking at her expectantly. She grinned widely and flashed the piece of paper in front of him. He had never seen her so happy.

"I'm pregnant."


	5. A Long Awaited Hello

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 5**

Looking back on that day, Carley would never forget his shocked face… or the ecstatic 'yahoo!' that accompanied his face breaking out into a smile. Nor would she forget the hug that followed.

It was safe to say he was happy. God, it felt good to see a genuine smile on his face again!

"I've got an ultrasound scan, if you want to see." She laughed, handing him the piece of paper. He took it in his shaking hand and stared down at it. "I'm about three months gone…" Carley had never seen a man show so much love to a piece of paper. The way he looked at it… it showed how ready he was for a baby. She bit her bottom lip nervously and looked at him. "So… what do you think?"

"I think... Jesus…" He breathed out, his smile going slightly. Carley cocked her head, taking the picture back from him and sliding it in her purse. "My nuts work!"

She laughed, knowing that only _her _husband would react like that. It was like having him back again… how he used to be before he was told he was infertile.

"Yes, they do!" She agreed, smiling at him. He had the biggest, goofiest grin on his face. He pulled her in for a hug once again. When he pulled away, he let his hand rest on her abdomen. Carley followed his gaze and placed her hand over his. She looked into his eyes. "I love you…"

"I love you too…" He whispered, kissing her softly.

**Six Months Later**

Carley shot up, cupping her swollen stomach and gasping. It had been six months since that day, and she was due at any time. Another pain shot through her and she slapped Lee's bicep until he groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes rid of sleep.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice groggy and his eyes partially closed. Carley simply sucked in a breath and looked at him.

"It's time." She said, snapping him from his half-asleep state and shocking him into action. She smiled, realizing the situation. "Our baby boy's on his way."

Half an hour later, Lee pushed Carley through the doors to the maternity ward, her hand wrapped around the arms of the wheelchair and sweating.

"Mrs Everett. I called you about twenty minutes ago." Lee said, approaching the nurses' station and handing the matron Carley's notes. The woman had a lot of grey, curly hair and was unbelievably tiny (even for Carley's standards). She was old with a lot of wrinkles and had the smile of a grandmother. Her face was overcome with recognition and she directed the frantic man to their room.

"Thank you." He muttered, helping his wife out of the wheelchair and allowing her to grip his hand fiercely. She was terrified; no doubt about it.

The elderly matron left them to sort themselves out, knowing that they would be undergoing serious changes that night. Eventually, Carley shooed him from the room, telling him to call their parents and get them there.

He exited the hospital and pulled out his phone, dialling David and Jennifer. Eventually, he received a very groggy answer from the other end.

"_Hello?" _David asked, his voice thick with sleep. Lee would have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious.

"Hey! It's Lee!"

"_Lee? It's two in the morning!"_

"I know, I'm sorry." He apologised running his hands through his hair and sighing. "It's just… Carley went into labour half an hour ago."

He heard scuffling from the other end, obviously David waking his wife.

"_We'll be there, son. Keep us posted. Tell Carley we're thinking of her."_ He said strongly, excitement now in his voice. He hung up and dialled his parents.

Ten minutes later, he walked back into Carley's room; coffee in hand along with a small, plush lion. He stopped short, seeing the nervousness on her face. He smiled, hoping to try and calm her.

"Your parents are on their way. They said they're thinking about you and told me to keep them posted." He said softly, setting his cup down and sitting beside her. She bit her bottom lip in fear. Her eyes landed on the tiny stuffed animal and a smile played on her lips.

"Where did you get that?" She laughed, noting how the mane was severely disproportionate to its body. Lee brought it over for her to look closer and grinned as she stroked its fluffy head. "It's really cute."

The simply stayed like that for a while, Carley occasionally grimacing in pain and Lee comforting her, coaching her breathing. Eventually, the door opened and her doctor, Janey, walked in.

"Hey guys!" She smiled, adjusting her stethoscope around her neck and clicking the door shut behind her. "You've got yourselves a fan club out there!"

"Hey Janey!" Carley greeted, shifting in the bad and sitting up straighter. Lee moved her pillow, placing it behind her neck and making sure she was comfortable. "I had a feeling they'd be here soon!"

"Yeah, they were causing a riot out there!" She laughed, coming to rest at the foot of the bed and unclipping the clipboard, reading it. "Okay… baby boy… eight and a half months…" Her forehead creased in confusion. "Has someone checked your dilation since you were admitted?"

"No…"

"Well, I'll soon fix that." She assured. Before they knew it, Carley's legs were up in stirrups and Janey was doing… god knows what down there. Eventually, she looked up, grinning from ear to ear. "Five centimetres. You're halfway there!"

"Seriously?" Lee asked, his eyebrows retreating into his hairline and his voice getting higher. He was sat by his wife's side, holding her hand and comforting waiting patiently for Janey to finish up.

"Seriously." She said, her face completely stoic. Carley sighed in relief and leaned her head back. "You should have about an hour left, if he keeps this pace up."

"Thank god! I'm so done being pregnant!" Carley laughed, moving her legs down and covering them with the blanket. She turned to her husband. "Lee, honey, could you go get my parents? I know they'll be kicking up a fuss."

"Sure thing." He smiled, standing and kissing her softly. He made his way out of the room and was met with the sight of their families. David sat with his arm around his wife, whispering in her ear. James and Christine were sat beside them, fiddling with their hands nervously. None of them had noticed his presence, until he spoke up. "Hey guys."

"Oh my God, Lee!" David breathed, standing and wringing his hands. Everyone else copied him, staring at the man in the doorway. "How is she? How's our grandson?"

"She's fine." He assured, hugging his mother-in-law tightly, calming the woman's nerves. He smiled at the others. "She told me to come out here and fetch you guys."

"You sure you don't want to be in there?" David asked, taking Jennifer's hand and gripping it tightly. Lee shook his head and chuckled.

"She really wants to see you two." He laughed, shaking his father-in-law's hand and showing him her room. "Plus, she's already threatened to castrate me."

"Fair enough." The older man laughed, entering the room and disappearing with his wife.

Lee sat down next to his father and sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"How're you holding up, son?" James asked, looking sideways at his son. Lee shrugged, leaning forwards to put his elbows on his knees.

"Truthfully? I'm terrified."

**Forty Five Minutes Later**

"Okay Carley, you're at ten centimetres." Janey said, a grin spreading across her face. Lee smiled at his wife and gripped her hand lovingly. "Time to start pushing."

Carley's face blanched, nerves taking over her features. She turned her head to look at her husband, who was staring at her in awe. _How the hell was she doing this? _She had refused painkillers, not wanting their son to come out 'drugged up to the eyeballs.'

"It's okay, Car." He soothed, kissing her forehead as Janey prepared her for the delivery. He obviously looked scared, but he wouldn't tell her that. She would have a human coming out of her, for Christ's sake!

"Okay, sweetheart. On the next contraction, I want you to push as hard as you can." Janey's voice called, alerting them once again to her presence. "Also, feel free to shout profanities. It's not like we haven't heard it before." She laughed, comforting Carley slightly.

Suddenly, the monitors beeped, announcing an oncoming contraction. Carley looked at her husband one last time before gritting her teeth in pain and squeezing his hand tightly. Lee grimaced, feeling pain shoot through his arm.

"Come on, baby… you can do it." He murmured so only she could hear. After a while, she relaxed, tears already down her face.

"You did this to me!" She groaned, gripping his hand as if he would leave if she didn't. Once again, she gritted her teeth and pushed, this time though, she let out an almost inhuman noise. "You are never touching me again, Everett!"

Only two more pushes, and Janey called out from between her legs.

"The head's out! Well done! One more push and it's all over!"

Determination came over Carley's face. Everything went in slow-motion. Carley arched her back and screamed, bringing their baby into the world.

Then, it stopped. A baby's cry filled their ears.

"Congratulations! You've got a perfect baby girl!" Janey's voice called over the noise. Lee's head snapped around to meet Carley's. She had tears streaming down her face in happiness and relief.

"A girl…" She muttered, her body shaking with sobs. Lee was completely awestruck when Janey held her up. Red and screaming, but the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "We've got a little girl, Lee…"

Janey brought her over and laid her on Carley's chest. The tiny girl settled almost immediately, relaxing at her mother's touch. Carley felt overwhelming love take over her. How had they made this perfect little girl?

"Oh, Lee… She's gorgeous…" She sighed, a huge grin taking over her. She just couldn't get enough of the baby in her arms…her daughter.

"Yeah… she is." He agreed, staring down at the tiny infant. She was covered in god knows what… but she was the most perfect thing he had ever set eyes on.

"I'm sorry, guys but we have to get her cleaned up and weighed." Janey interrupted, looking apologetic. She took their daughter off Carley's chest and walked away, leaving the two new parents alone.

"I'm so proud of you, Car." Lee spoke, looking right into his wife's eyes. She brought her hand up to cup his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. "You did it."

"No, Lee… _we_ did it." She corrected, a small smile playing on her lips. Before they knew it, Janey walked back over to them, a pink bundle wrapped in her arms.

"Here you go, mommy…" She cooed softly, handing the baby to Carley and smiling at them. Lee stared up from his seat, his eyes filled with emotion. "It's okay, Lee. You're welcome." She said and left. His gaze went back over to his wife and daughter.

"She's not goopy anymore." Carley laughed, her eyes never leaving the tiny girl in her arms. He nodded, taking in every detail on his daughter's face. Carley looked up to him, biting her bottom lip. "What're we going to name her?"

He felt like slapping himself. They had thought of _boy's _names, not girl's! Then, from out of the corner of his mind, a song started playing.

' _Oh my darling, oh my darling,_

_Oh my darling, Clementine!_

_Thou art lost and gone forever_

_Dreadful sorry, Clementine'_

"How about Clementine? Clem for short." He asked, touching the small pink cap on her head. It kind of made sense, seeing as Carley's main craving were clementines. He looked up to see Carley thinking hard.

"How about Clementine Hope Everett?" She asked after a while. Lee grinned. "Because she was the only thing we'd hoped for."

"It's perfect. _She's_ perfect."

"You want to hold your daughter, Lee?" Carley asked, adjusting the tiny girl for him to take. He nodded his head and took her into his arms. Love overwhelmed him. He never knew he could love that easily. He felt as if one wrong move would break her.

"Hello, baby girl…" He spoke softly, allowing her to take his finger into one of her tiny hands. It was at that point, he knew he was a father. He knew he would do anything for the small girl in his arms and no harm would come to her. Not on his watch. "You are so beautiful… _Yes you are_…"

Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes and he didn't bother to wipe them away. Happiness was the only thing he felt.

"I love you so much already, Clementine. Especially after…" He stopped, not daring to look up at his wife. "Especially after I was told I'd never have you. I didn't know I could miss someone I'd never met… but I was wrong."

Tears now rolled down his cheeks freely. It still broke his heart that he had a low sperm count. What if Carley wanted another baby? What if he couldn't give her one?

"Now you're here… it feels so surreal! I've got a daughter!" He laughed, running his hand over her soft cheek. He felt the soft pressure of Carley's hand on his shoulder. "I love you so much, sweet-pea."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead softly, feeling her squirm at the unusual touch. He looked up to his wife and smiled.

"Give her here and go get the grandparents?" She asked, deciding against mentioning the private moment between the two. He did as she asked, kissing her softly on the lips and exiting the room, still dressed in his green hospital gown and wearing his wristband.

They were on their feet the moment he approached them, asking questions frantically.

"Alright, calm down!" He chuckled, hugging his mother and smiling down at her. "One at a time!"

"How's Carley? How's our grandson?" James asked, running a hand through his hair in the exact same way Lee would when he was nervous. Lee held his hand up, silencing the murmurs of agreement.

"Carley's fine… so is your granddaughter." He said, letting them take all of the information in. "Follow me if you want to see them."

He led them back down the familiar hallway and opened the door to Carley's room quietly, peeking his head through and grinning as she gestured them in. At that moment, with their family around her, he could fully take in her appearance. Her stomach wasn't as swollen, her hair was plastered to her forehead and had a glow surrounding her that only came to new mothers.

"Oh, sweetheart… she's gorgeous!" Jennifer gushed, hugging her daughter and getting a good look at her granddaughter. "She looks like you, Lee." She commented, smiling at him and looking back at the baby.

"Are you kidding me?" He responded, laughing at the incredulity of her statement. "She's gorgeous! She's all Carley!"

"Shush you…" Carley muttered, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Her skin's more of a blend… Lighter than Lee's but darker than mine."

"She's perfect, son." James said, clapping his son on the shoulder and bringing him in for a manly hug. "Congratulations."

"What's her name?" Christine asked, walking to her daughter in law and hugging her tightly.

Carley locked eyes with Lee for a millisecond, silently agreeing.

"Clementine Hope Everett…" Carley said, letting her daughter take hold of her finger and smiling as her little eyes opened for the first time, revealing light brown orbs.


	6. Home At Last

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 6**

**A/N- The song used in this chapter is 'I hope you dance' by Lee Ann Womack.**

"Yeah, Car. I got home safe." Lee assured, entering their kitchen and talking down his mobile phone. She practically forced him to go home, telling him to get the car seat ready in preparation for their return home the next day.

"_Are you sure? It's been a long day and you could have had an accident…" _She worried, even though a phone, he could tell her emotions.

"Honey, you worry too much!" He laughed, rolling his eyes and smiling. "Just try to get some rest? You deserve it."

"_Fine…" _She huffed, making static crackle in his ear. _"I love you."_

"I love you too." He replied, plopping himself down on their sofa. "Give Clem a kiss goodnight from me?"

"_Of course."_ She laughed, her voice echoing in his ear. _"Bye daddy."_

"Bye mommy." He said softly, snapping the phone closed and relaxing, letting the events of the day finally sink in. Unfortunately, he drifted too far in and let darkness and tiredness consume him, leading him into a dream-filled slumber.

The first thing he realized when he woke up was the lack of warmth by his side. He shot up and looked around, panic-stricken. Then, he remembered and glanced down at his watch on his left wrist.

"Shit!" He shouted, bolting out of his seat and racing outside to their garage. "It's Ten O'clock!"

He grabbed the infant's car seat and hurriedly opened it, all the while, marching over towards his car. Once the box was opened, it took no time to fit the seat and back the car out, turning out of their street and making his way to the hospital.

He raced through the hospital, baby seat and flowers in hand only stopping when he reached the maternity ward.

"Ah, Lee!" Janey greeted, waving to him from across he corridor. "How are you doing?"

"I'm great, thanks." He replied, smiling and hugging the small woman. He held out the lilies to her and shrugged. "These are for you… as a thank you."

"Thanks Lee, I appreciate it." She grinned, taking them off him and placing them on her desk. "Carley's in the same room as she was yesterday."

"Thanks. I'd better get to it. I'm running late as it is." He laughed, turning and striding the familiar corridors. He reached Carley's room and knocked.

"Come in." Came the muffled reply from the other side. He did as she asked and entered, walking up behind his wife (who was hovering over a Perspex cot), dumping the car seat on her bed and kissing her neck.

She tensed at his touch, only relaxing once she realized who it was. She turned her head and looked at him through dark-rimmed eyes. His eyebrows shot into his hairline and he moved away slowly.

"Have a good night?" He asked, taking her hands in his and kissing her softly. She chuckled softly.

"It was the most tiring night of my life, but it was the best." She grinned, hugging into his chest.

"How's Clementine?" He asked, pulling away and moving closer to the cot. He smiled, seeing his daughter laid on her back, dressed in a plain white baby grow with her eyes closed.

"She's fine." Carley assured, smiling as the tiny girl shifted in her sleep. She reached out and picked her up, cradling her in her embrace. "Can you get her ready to go home? I need to pee."

"Of course." He replied, taking her into his arms and bouncing her slightly.

"Thank you." She smiled, hopping out of her room.

Lee looked down into his arms, where his daughter slept soundly and crept over to the carry seat. He placed her in it gently, as to not wake her, and buckled her in. She started to fuss, so he found the stuffed lion he bought and placed in next to her. To his delight, she clasped it in her tiny hands and didn't let go, falling back to sleep. He simply stared at her for the longest time… _How the fuck did he help make her?! _

"Lee?" He heard, pulling him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Carley slipping her thin, silver wedding band back on her finger and smiled. She never wore her engagement ring, saying it was only for special occasions. He was yet to see her wear it. "I said are you ready to head out?"

"Yeah." He replied, picking up the carry seat and walking out of the door towards the exit.

They made it to the car and started off home, securing the carry seat in the back seat.

"So… how did you sleep last night?" He asked, looking into the rear-view mirror at his wife and daughter. Carley returned his gaze, nodding her head slowly.

"It was alright." She shrugged. Her eyes were darker underneath already, indicating that she hadn't had much sleep after all. "I mean… considering."

"Yeah…" He agreed, stopping at the intersection.

After that, their journey was quiet, neither of them wanting to wake their child. To their relief, it was within ten minutes that Lee pulled their car into the garage and hopped out, opening the door for Carley and grabbing the carry seat. He approached their front door and opened it, gesturing his wife inside.

Once he followed her and locked the door, he entered the living room and was greeted with the sight of balloons, cards and a whole manner of stuff.

Carley stood in its midst, holding a card in her hand and smiling.

"What the hell's all this?" He asked, placing the seat down on the sofa and going to her side. He looked at the card from over her shoulder and smiled, reading the caption.

_Lee & Carley_

_Congratulations on the birth of Clementine! We hope this finds you okay! We'll be over to see you in a few days; give you time to settle into being a Mommy and Daddy. Have fun! You deserve it!_

_From all your colleagues at UGA and WABE_

"Holy…" Lee breathed, feeling an elbow to the ribs, effectively cutting him off.

"Lee, Clementine!" Carley hissed, nudging his head towards their sofa. Lee understood immediately and shut up. Carley ran her hands through her hair and sighed. "I'm gonna put her down for a nap."

"You sure you don't want me to?" Lee asked, helping her with the various straps that were holding their daughter in place.

"Nah, I think I've got it." She replied, taking the baby in her arms and turning her around to look at her father. She addressed the tiny girl, putting on her best 'baby' voice. "Say _'goodnight daddy!'_"

"Goodnight sweetheart." He smiled, kissing his daughter's forehead and smiling slightly. He watched Carley leave the room and got to tidying the room, moving all the cards and standing them up on the fireplace.

Ten minutes passed, and Lee started to worry. Carley wasn't back yet and he couldn't hear anything from upstairs. He slowly crept upstairs to the nursery and stopped when he heard the most angelic sound ever.

Singing softly radiated around him, and he stopped in the doorway of the light yellow nursery, watching as his wife sat beside the bassinet, her hand snaked over the side and her finger being gripped tightly.

"_I hope you never lose your sense of wonder_

_You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger_

_May you never take one single breath for granted_

_God forbid love ever leave you empty handed"_

She smiled, rocking it slightly and running her thumb over the baby's small hand. The baby gurgled, obviously loving the sound of her mother's voice.

"_I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean_

_Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens_

_Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance_

_And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance_

_I hope you dance"_

Lee walked inside slowly, folding his arms across his chest and loving the sight before him. It was the first time he'd heard her sing, and knew he would hear it more. He _wanted_ to hear it more.

"_I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance_

_Never settle for the path of least resistance_

_Living might mean taking chances but they're worth taking_

_Loving might be a mistake but it's worth making_

_Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter_

_When you come close to selling out reconsider_

_Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance"_

Clementine drifted off, relaxing the grip on Carley's hand. Lee walked over to his wife and sat on the arm of the rocking chair; startling her slightly.

"That was beautiful, Car." He admired, taking her hand softly in his and smiling softly. A blush crept up her cheeks and she lowered her head in embarrassment. "Really, it was. She's lucky to have you."

"I don't sing for a _reason_, Lee." The woman laughed, resting her head on his shoulder. He gave her hand a soft squeeze. "I just thought it might help her drift off easier."

"It sure did." He laughed, noting that their daughter was pretty much dead to the world, splayed out on her back with her arms raised into a surrender. He looked back down to his wife. "Thank you so much, Car."

"What for, you stupid man?" She asked, pulling away and looking at him in surprise. He sighed, running a hand over his stubble.

"You never gave up on me… on us." He explained, showing her a lopsided smile. "Even when I was in a really bad place, you never let me give up. You gave me a family."

"Oh, Lee." She sighed, leaning her head back on his shoulder and cuddling into his chest. "You don't have to thank me for that…"

"Yeah, I do." He argued, kissing her forehead lightly. "Now, come on. She'll be up before we know it and I'm sure you'll want to have a cup of decaf."

"You know me too well, Everett."


	7. Where's Mommy?

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 7**

"Come on, We've got to go!" Lee bellowed up the stairs of his home. It had been eight years (and a bit) since that night. Now, he was rushing to and fro, gathering as much survival equipment as possible. "Clementine Hope Everett, get your skinny little butt down here now!"

"I'm coming, dad!" A voice called back. He rolled his eyes, seeing a small form appear on the landing. His daughter strolled down the stairs, her thick curly hair sticking out from underneath a purple and white cap he had bought her for her seventh birthday. A light yellow sundress had been pulled over her thin body and a pair of leggings covered her legs.

"About time." He muttered, smiling as she came to a halt beside him and tugged her hat on further, making it cover her eyes. "You got everything?"

"Yeah." She replied, gently tapping her rucksack and looking up at her father. Hazel orbs bore into his as she asked the question he dreaded. "Where's mom?"

He sighed, kneeling down in front of her and taking her small hands in his. He looked up, staring directly into her oh so beautiful eyes.

"I don't know, Clem. But she'll be okay. I promise." He smiled, standing once again and leading her out of the door. None of the… well… monsters were in sight. He thought he had been seeing things when a dead person (that's right a dead person!) walked up his drive and almost bit him. "Stay close to me."

Before he knew it, he was pulling out of their street and around the corner. He looked back one last time at the house that held so many memories. He and Carley had consummated their marriage in that house… Clementine learned how to walk, talk, and ride a bike in that driveway!

"Dad? Are you okay?" A voice called, snapping him from his thoughts. He nodded, pulling out his wallet and flipping it open, revealing a tatty old photograph.

A young woman stared up at him, emerald green orbs shining and her husband's arm wrapped protectively around her shoulder. In the woman's arms, a baby slept, clutching her father's green hospital robe.

He handed the picture over to the little girl on his right. She looked at it in confusion and he gestured for her to flip it over, revealing sloppy handwriting.

_Lee Everett- Age 28_

_Carley Everett- Age 26_

_Clementine Hope Everett- Age 1 Hour_

"That's you and mom?" She asked softly, looking up at her father. Boy, had he changed. A thick coat of stubble now adorned his face and wrinkles marked his forehead. Her mom, however, hadn't changed one bit! Even the scar on her right cheek remained the same.

He nodded, smiling at her softly. He gently reached over to take it back and slipped it back in his pocket. Slowly, he flicked the radio on, hoping to calm both of their nerves.

"…_here at WABE: Atlanta, we wish you and your families all the best. We ourselves have lost numerous people and would like to thank them for their selfless sacrifice."_

Clementine stiffened in her seat, her breathing getting faster. Lee patted her knee gently, soothing her to an extent. "She's fine, sweet-pea. I promise."

"Across Georgia, there are countless cities and areas that have been overrun. There are: Savannah, Atlanta, Marietta, Warner Robins and Columbus-"

Lee cut the reporter off, not wanting to know the outcome of his statement. He looked over to his right and saw Clementine sat curled in her seat, staring out at the night.

"It'll be okay, baby girl."

"But what about mom?" She replied through red rimmed eyes. Lee ran a shaky hand through his hair.

"She'll be fine."

**Twenty Minutes Later**

Arguing was never one of Lee's strong points. That was why he'd never won one with Carley. But, when It came to the welfare of children, he could win anyone over.

"NO. You don't touch that boy, you don't TOUCH anybody." He growled, standing up to the older (and much taller) man. He laughed slightly, only angering Lee more. "I've got a little girl I'm trying to protect in here too. You want to get violent you old fuck?! Well, COME ON. You better have a plan to kill me though, because it's ME before anyone else in here."

A scream filled their ears and Lee's head snapped around. Clementine had was by the toilet, her ankle being snapped at by a monster. He bolted over as fast as he could, nearly sending a woman who was emerging from the office flying in the process.

He pushed the walker away from them roughly, trying his best to restrain the growls and snarls when…

_**BLAM!**_

The monster went limp in his hands and fell to the ground. He looked over to see his saviour when he heard Clementine shriek once again, this time flinging herself into an awaiting hug.

"_Mommy!" _She sobbed, relaxing into Carley's maternal embrace and wrapping her little arms around her neck. Carley moved her hand in a circular motion, lifting Clementine off the floor and holding her close.

"I'm here, baby… Oh, I thought I'd lost you…"

**Two Hours Later**

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with us tonight, sweetheart?" Carley asked softly, smoothing her daughter's hair and sitting beside her bed. Lee stood at the foot of the bed and smiled, watching the exchange.

"I'm sure, mommy." She replied, her eyes already drooping at the soothing touch of her mother's fingers. Carley stood and pressed a soft kiss to the eight-year-olds forehead, walking over to the doorway that had been opened by her husband.

"Goodnight…" She whispered, walking away and closing the door behind them.

They strode across the parking lot and entered their room, seeing a double bed awaiting them. They closed their door and began to undress, stripping down to just their underclothes. Carley shivered as the cold air hit her skin (She didn't pack that morning, so she was in just her bra and panties). Lee noticed this, slipped his baggy, white undershirt off and handed it over. She looked at him sceptically, raising her eyebrows. When he didn't put it back on, she gently took it and pulled it over her head.

If the situation hadn't been so serious, he would have laughed, as it fell to way past her knees. He pulled back the covers and curled up. She copied his actions, cuddling into him with her face buried in his chest as he wrapped a protective arm around her.

"Lee?" He heard. He looked down and saw his wife staring at him through dark-rimmed eyes. He knew at once what she was going to say. "Are you okay? James and Christine… Brad… Jesus…"

"There's nothing to say…" He replied, his voice cracking slightly. She looked as if she were about to respond but dismissed it, hugging back into his chest.

**A/N-**** Okay, so we have the apocalypse! I know there was a huge time-jump but I seriously wanted to write this down! I'll update as fast as I can! HPTwin OUT!**


	8. Episode 2

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 8 **

**A/N- ****Okay, so another time jump, I know. But, I had something I really wanted to happen in this episode. I am going to tell you that this chapter IS going to have a rape scene, so if you don't want to read it, that's fine. Just thought I'd warn you. On with the chapter!**

Lee would never forget the bloodstains on the bathroom walls. Nor would he forget the sight of his friend, Mark, lying legless on the floor. His voice was so fragile and broken.

"Lee, did ya fall in?! Dinner's on the table an everyone's havin' at!"

He had never moved so fast in his entire life. He sprinted down the stairs, thinking of his unsuspecting wife and daughter, unknowingly being turned into cannibals. He skidded to a halt just in time.

"Don't eat that!" He bellowed, seeing Clementine raise her fork to her mouth. Carley looked at him confusedly, tilting her head. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw the little girl drop her food immediately.

"Lee, Jesus, man! Did you find something?" Kenny asked, cocking one eyebrow and putting his own cutlery down.

"You're eating HUMAN meat!" He replied, deciding to just come out with it. I mean, wouldn't everyone rather know the truth?

"Ah, sit your ass down, Lee. This lady has made you a meal!" Evidently, the truth wasn't what they wanted. Carley, however, pulled Clementine's plate away from her. As did Katjaa from Duck.

"Mark is upstairs with his fucking legs cut off! You're EATING him." He bellowed, trying to get at least some reaction. A murmur ran through the group and they all stared at him in shock. "They're picking us off to trade as meat!" He added as further evidence.

"You're out of your skull!" Larry growled. Obviously the old bastard would have _something_ to say. After all, he hated the other man's guts.

"MARK is UPSTAIRS right now with NO LEGS!" He shouted. Didn't they get it?! They were all going to die of they didn't get out of there fast! Desperately, he turned to the matriarch of the family and practically pleaded with her. "Brenda, tell me he's NOT being eaten right now."

A look of sad acceptance came over her face before she spoke, her voice soft and guilty… filled with regret.

"It's true."

"Everything coulda turned out okay for you folks." Danny muttered, somehow still eating his own meal. Brenda intervened before it could turn ugly.

"Settle down, honey." She turned to the rest of the group and sighed. "Growing up in rural Georgia, you're taught not to waste. It's how I was raised and how I raised my boys. Now you got monsters roamin' around that do nothin' but eat people. And for what? To continue to rot 'til they eat some more!"

"Ugh I'm gonna puke…" Lilly muttered, pushing her plate away with a disgusted look on her face.

"You're all sick… sick in the head." Lee stated, his voice high pitched.

"Andy is right; we go after folks who were gonna die anyways, one way or another." Brenda continued, almost as if she hadn't heard a thing that had been said. Danny looked up from his meal and smirked.

"Like y'all."

Anger flared through Lee like never before.

"Kenny! Get your gun!" He growled to the older man. Shrieks came from Katjaa, telling him to ignore Lee, but he stood (as any best friend would) and obeyed.

Then, Andy and Danny held their individual guns up, pointing them at the terrified guests. Carley was holding a petrified Clementine's hand, trying to reassure her in some way.

"We got lots of use for ya'll right here." Danny muttered, his face dark.

Then, bedlam broke loose. Everyone started talking at once. Duck chirping to his mother and Larry swearing angrily. Lee decided to take the calm, reassuring approach he was known for.

"Everyone! Everything will be okay!"

"Dad! Dad…!" He heard. He looked over to see Clementine hyperventilating with her eyes darting back and forth between her parents. Andy seized the back of her head and dragged her to her feet.

Lee saw red.

"I'll kill you!" He bellowed, making a grab across the table, only to be stopped when Danny held 'Charlotte' up to his neck. He looked to his left and saw that his wife was on her feet; her normally warm, sparkly emeralds had turned into a steely, reptile green. She had never looked so angry in the thirteen (nearly fourteen) years that they had been married.

A tumbling sound from the hallway. Gasps of shock and horror.

Mark slithered along the wooden floor, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Lee looked around to check on everyone when he saw it. Clem was staggering, swaying… falling.

"Clementi-!" He managed to shout, before _'Charlotte'_ gave him a right-hook to the face.

**Some Time Later**

Sounds of banging, vomiting and shouting awoke Lee from his slumber. A gentle tugging motion his shoulder and a shrill voice made him open his eyes.

"Daddy? Please wake up…" Clementine sat by his side, tears falling down her face. He blinked, trying to figure out where he was, when he noticed the lack of his wife's presence.

"Are you okay, Clem? Where's mom?" He asked gruffly, still confused. Even more tears fell down her cheeks.

"I'm fine. They took mom, though."

"To do what, sweetheart?" He asked, fear taking over him. Clementine shrugged her shoulders and looked as if she were straining to remember.

"They said they had big plans for her…" She said slowly. Lee's heart dropped, knowing what that meant.

**With Carley**

She didn't really know what was going on. She felt like a truck had run over her head. Her eyes shot open as she remembered exactly what had happened earlier.

"Ah, at last you're awake…" She heard, assuming it was one of the St. John brothers. She felt a strong hand wrap around her bicep and tug her up, onto the bed.

"Where's my daughter? Where's my husband?" She groaned, feeling rope snake around her wrist and Andy's breath on her neck. "What are you doing?"

"Y'know, it's such a shame." He mumbled, almost as if he hadn't heard her. "Such a pretty face… it'd be a waste to trade you off…"

He stood up from his sitting position and unzipped his zipper, all the while remaining silent. Carley trashed, trying to free herself from her restraints. Scared beyond words, she knew what was going to happen. The worst thing was that no-one could hear her… come to her rescue.

"Don't worry, gorgeous." Andy muttered, standing before her in just his boxers with a small smirk playing on his lips. "I'll try not to hurt you…"

Then, he was on her, roughly forcing her jeans and blouse off her thin frame. She retreated inside herself, thinking of her defenceless family.

"_They won't hurt you. I won't let them." _She felt him getting closer… and closer…

She tried to wrestle from his grip, making him become still. He moved his hand and brought it snapping across her right cheek, opening up her old scar. She felt the liquid trickle down her face and knew it was a lost cause.

"Don't fucking try that again… or you'll be getting worse than that punch. Do you hear me?"

She averted her eyes, biting her bottom lip and (for the first time in years) prayed to anyone who would listen.

It was safe to say that it was the worst experience of her life, feeling someone other than Lee touching her in that way. It was worse than losing her virginity… worse than giving birth, hell, worse than any pain she'd felt in her life.

Eventually, he came to a sudden halt and pulled away, picking up his discarded clothes and slicing the ropes that bound her to the bed. Instead of fighting, she just brought her knees up to her chest and sobbed.

He left her there, wallowing in her own grief, disgust and fear, all the while chuckling.

**With Lee**

Thankfully, they had found a way out of the meat locker, sending Clementine through a ventilation shaft to unlock it from the outside. Unfortunately, Larry hadn't made it; he turned after a heart attack and tried to bite Lilly. Kenny dropped a salt lick on his head before he could do any damage.

They were in the room connecting to the meat locker:

A human slaughterhouse.

"So what's the plan?" He hurriedly whispered to Kenny. The older man looked back at him with fear evident in his eyes.

"That dumbass is so caught up in his own rant that we could probably sneak right up on him." He said lowly. Lee was sure that, if they weren't in such a serious situation, he would be laughing his ass off. Then his face became determined. "Just stick behind me, in case anything goes down. When we get to the front, grab his gun."

"Sounds good." He assured, nodding his head and following his friend, who was already halfway to the exit. They heard Danny ranting to himself.

".. Gah! What's taking Momma and Andy so long? What are they finishing their damn dinner first? Coulda brought me out a plate at least!

"Fuck it's dull out here…"

"Dan, what are you doin' out here?" They heard, indicating Andy's presence. A seemingly satisfied grin on his face made Lee uneasy as he raced to the barn-stall behind Kenny.

"Just guarding the place, like you said." Danny answered, his voice muffled slightly.

They waited for a while, only to be greeted by silence. Lee peeked his head out of their cover, only to be greeted with a gun held to his face. Quick as a flash, he moved it and tackled the man holding it. Danny squirmed, making one of his flailing fists connect with Lee's ear, momentarily making him dizzy.

Kenny leapt out of the stall, attacking Danny with a bloody sickle and drawing a lot of blood. The man fell backwards, feeling a bear trap clench around his ankle.

Lee growled and stood over him, a menacing look on his face.

"Where's my family, asshole?!" Kenny bellowed, throwing his weapon aside and glowering.

"You can't have 'em! We need the vet!" He shouted back, in obvious pain.

"Where's my wife?" Lee growled, red starting to obscure his vision. By the way Danny's face contorted, he knew he was just as confused as he was.

"I thought she was in there with you." He admitted, his eyes genuine. A scream alerted them.

"KAT!" Kenny bellowed, racing out of the barn towards the source of the noise, leaving just Lee and Danny.

He felt little, warm fingers slip into his and looked down to see Clementine.

"You okay, sweet-pea?" He asked, genuinely concerned. After all, she _did_ just walk through a damned human slaughterhouse!

"I'm fine, dad." She whispered. She wasn't fine. He knew that much, but he had to leave her with Lilly. He had to get to Carley.

"Look, sweetheart. I'm going to find mommy. Stay here and look after Lilly?"

"Okay."

And he was off, after assurance from Lilly that she would protect his daughter. He bolted over to the house, not bothering if he was making noise. His wife was the only thing on his mind. He threw himself through the front door, up the stairs and into the room on his right. His heart stopped.

Carley sat on the floor, cradling her head in her hands with her knees tucked into her chest. She didn't seem to notice his presence as she sobbed, for once in her life allowing her emotions to flow freely. He approached slowly, as to not startle her and heard the floorboard beneath his feet creak loudly.

Her head shot up, looking at him (for the first time) in fear. She scrabbled away from him, not really knowing who it was. Could it be Andy back for more? Could it be Danny to take his turn?

He knelt down to her level, holding his hands out in front of him, trying to show her somehow that he meant no harm. She still backed away, her chest heaving.

"Car… it's me. Your husband, Lee." He whispered, just loud enough for her to understand. Familiarity flashed across her face before she threw herself into his arms, tears sliding down her face. "What did they do to you?"

"He… Andy… Oh God…" She sobbed, clutching his jacket ferociously.

"It's okay. You don't have to talk about it." He soothed, smoothing her hair lovingly. Somehow, she felt safe in his arms… like nothing could harm her. "But we have to get out of here. The St. Johns should have heard me come up here."

Carley nodded, making sure her puffy vest was thoroughly zipped up before standing and walking tentatively towards the door. Once in the light, he saw the full extent of her injuries. Her scar had opened, leaving a stream of blood trailing down her cheek. Her lip was busted and her eye was slowly turning dark around the outside, showing that a black eye was on its way.

They made their way downstairs, passing Brenda's corpse and ran outside.

Katjaa was knelt over Kenny's form, sobbing and trying to stop blood flowing from a gunshot wound. Duck was crying out to his father, being held back by Andy. Carley tensed and ran over to her daughter, who was clinging on to Lilly's leg. As soon as she saw her mother, she sprinted towards her and clung to her tightly.

"Andy…" Lee called, taking it upon himself to help the little boy. He approached him and kept his hand in a surrender.

"Who the fuck do you people think you are? Look at what you've done!"

"Shut the fuck up!" He called back, glaring at the man. He had fucking _raped_ his wife!

"You think I'm playin' here, boy?! All we wanted was gas. We came to you peacefully!" He argued back, keeping his gun focused on Duck's head.

A gunshot rang out and Andy reeled backwards, dropping the gun and clutching the side of his head in agony. Lee quickly grabbed for it and raised it. He glanced over his shoulder to see Carley with her gun raised and an unreadable expression on her face.

He walked over to the rest of the group. They were about to leave when…

"Y'know, Lee. You've got a fireball there!" Andy spat, kneeling up to glare at them. "Great in bed. At least that's what I thought."

He spun on the spot, raised his gun and pulled the trigger. Before he knew what was happening, Andy was on the floor, a bullet hole in his forehead.

"Lets go." He said to the rest of the group, not daring to look at anyone and walking away from the dairy.

**A/N- ****Okay, this was painful to write. I love Carley's character, so it actually hurt for this to happen… but, it's an essential plot point to extend her emotions and feelings. I hope no one was offended by this, because I know rape is a touchy subject, but I felt that people needed to understand that zombies aren't the only danger out there. Humans can be just as dangerous. R&R? Thanks for reading! HPTwin OUT!**


	9. A Broken Woman

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 9**

The first thing Carley did when they arrived back at the motor-inn was wordlessly walk to the room her and Lee shared, turn the shower on and let the warm water soothe her stinging cuts.

Yes, he had hurt her more than she had let on. She wouldn't let anyone see just the extent of her injuries. She couldn't remember most of it, as she seemed to become a shell, only feeling pain in the duration.

Even remembering it was painful. Her hand unconsciously ran over a large cut on her hip that was inflicted by that bastard's belt buckle and winced. Blood trickled down her leg, forming a pool by her feet.

Out of all the things that had happened to her, the thing that hurt the most was that he wasn't Lee. Only _he_ had ever touched her like that. Lee had been the one to take her virginity… on their wedding night. And to have someone else take her as Andy had, it made her feel (for want of better words) dirty, filthy and unclean.

She stayed in that same spot for a while, allowing the water to wash all the evidence of that experience away.

Eventually, she stepped out of the shower, grabbing her fluffy, blue towel off the rack and wrapping it around her securely. She lightly wrung out her hair, leaving it slightly damp and pulled her dirty clothes back on. Taking in a deep breath, she walked out of the bathroom, stopping short when she saw her daughter curled up on her bed, fast asleep under the covers.

She sighed, sitting beside her and threading her fingers through the little girl's hair.

Carley was a strong woman. She never cried, not even at funerals. Normally, she would be humiliated by her parents, especially when they found out about the time Lee cried at 'Monsters Inc.' in the movie theatre.

A tear escaped her eye when the realisation that, no matter how much she wanted it to, life would never be the same. Hell, what she had just gone through was a damned good example. She, just like every other woman and girl would be treated the same as they always had.

"Don't cry, mom." She heard, snapping her from her memories. She looked down to the source of the noise and saw Clementine, cuddled into her chest with her eyes fixated on her mother. She brought her tiny hand up and wiped away a tear with the pad of her thumb. "Please don't cry…"

She sniffed and sent her what she hoped was a realistic smile, brushed her hair from her face and hugged her daughter close.

"I'm not, sweetheart." She lied, not allowing herself to break down. She decided to change the subject. "Where's dad?"

"Outside. He took Ben's first watch." She replied. _Of course!_ Ben had been found that morning, his shaggy, brown hair flying in all directions as he tried to help his teacher. They managed to get the poor bastard's foot of the bear trap to no avail. He was well and truly dead. They had discovered not long after that the lanky boy had next-to-no experience with gun handling.

"Figures." She chuckled, resuming the gentle smoothing of her daughter's unruly mop of curly, black hair. Eventually, Clementine's breathing evened out and she became more of a dead weight by her side. She soon followed, allowing the stress of the day to finally take her into a dreamless sleep.

The first thing she noticed when she awoke was the missing weight by her side. Panic consumed her and she sat up quickly. Her body screamed in protest, still severely sore from the previous day. She forced herself up, however, and stumbled to the door, out into the parking lot. Everything seemed to stop.

There, curled up in the tiny lawn-chair that was perched on top of the RV, was Lee. He was sleeping soundly, drool trickling down his face and his soft snores rumbling around the open space. She chuckled lightly, starting off towards him. She was careful to not wake him, her boots barely making any noise on the thin, metal ladder.

Hearing the soft footsteps, he startled awake and hastily wiped the drool from his chin and almost dropped the rifle in his panic. He twirled on the spot, standing from his chair and raising the gun, not really knowing who had woke him up. He visibly relaxed when he saw his wife staring at him through wide eyes.

"Morning." He muttered, plopping back down and rubbing the heels of his hands to his eyes, desperately trying to wipe away sleep. Then, he was reminded of the previous day's events and his head shot up. He stood and ushered her to sit down. She looked at him in confusion, the only sign of fear being a slight wince when he reached out to her. He sent her an apologetic look as she sat down slowly, still staring in confusion. He sat on the edge of the RV, letting his legs hang over the edge loosely and rested back on his hands. "If you're wondering, Clementine went to stay with Ken and Kat about three hours ago. She's fine." Then, they both fell silent, just listening to the morning crow of birds.

They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, neither wanting to break the comfortable silence they were in. Lee, unfortunately, couldn't help the guilt he felt. He should have done something… Anything to help her! He couldn't hold it in any longer.

"How're you feeling?" He asked softly, looking up at her from his seated position. She shifted uncomfortably, but was flattered by his concern.

"I'm… well, I'm coping." She admitted, not daring to look at him. She knew what had happened. She knew how he had to be feeling. She knew it'd be eating him up that he was powerless to stop what had happened to her. Thirteen years of marriage had taught her that, if nothing else. She could never lie to him; no matter how good an actress she was. He would be able to tell if she was lying.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk." He said softly, sending her a sad smile. "No one will judge you."

She scoffed, wrapping her arms around her body tightly and running a hand through her hair in frustration.

"I find that hard to believe." She whispered quietly. What would everyone say when they found out? She did _NOT_ want them to treat her like an invalid, even if she felt like shit. She wanted to earn her keep.

"They really won't." He assured, reaching out and taking her hand in his. She didn't flinch that time, comforting him only slightly. He ran his thumb across her knuckles softly and squeezed it gently. "They know you want to be out there, doing stuff. But you can't."

She sighed in reluctant acceptance, sending him a look that clearly said _'If you're wrong about this, so help me god.'_

Their exchange finished just as Kenny emerged from his room, stretching lazily and yawning. He saw the pair and smiled goofily, evidently still exhausted.

**Two Hours Later**

"Alright, we're heading out guys!" Lee bellowed, his voice echoing around the parking lot. He clasped the rifle in his hands tightly and shifted it slightly. "Anything in particular that anyone needs?"

Carley practically ran over to him, dropping the chalk drawing she and Clementine were working on and approaching the two men. She held a tiny slip of paper out to her husband and blushed slightly.

"I need you to… uh… pick these up for me." She mumbled, playing with a few strands of loose hair. He creased his brow and stared at it inquiringly.

"Sure, just tell me where to find it and I'll do it." He smiled, slipping it in his back pocket and smiling at her.

"Uh, try the family planning section." She muttered, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek softly before scampering back over to her daughter. He turned to Kenny and motioned for them to leave, earning a quick nod from the older man. They left, waving to their families as they went.

The journey seemed to fly past, because before they knew it, they were approaching _'Everett's Prescriptions'_. The two men shared a look and entered, lists and guns at the ready.

**Later That Day**

They approached the motor-inn once again, this time surrounded with darkness. It had taken them longer than they'd expected and had run over by several hours. They had to toke shelter in the Pharmacy's office for the duration of a herd they hadn't seen.

The motel was bathed in a warm glow from the neon lights hanging out front, giving it a warm, homely feel. Clementine was curled up next to Carley, who was sat in her lawn-chair, playing with loose strands of her daughter's hair. Their heads snapped around at the sound of their footsteps and they were soon running to them.

"Daddy!" Clementine screeched, falling into her father's embrace and allowing herself to hoisted off the floor. He saw Carley from over the girls shoulder and gave her a thumbs up, holding a small paper bag up that contained the things she wanted. She took them off him and smiled gratefully, stuffing them in her pocket.

"Thank you." She mouthed, hugging her husband and daughter tightly. They simply swayed on the spot for a while before Lee felt Clementine become more of a dead weight in his arms. He moved away and shook her slightly, checking to see if she was truly asleep.

"I'll go put her down." He said softly when he got no response but a small dribble of drool on his coat. Then, he remembered the pills he had given her. "If you're gonna do it, you'll want to take _those_ as fast as you can. They're only three days out from expiring."

She nodded, striding off towards her and Lee's room, holding the small box of pills in her hands and running her fingers over them. It wasn't long before she was changed into Lee's baggy t-shirt and sleeping soundly.


	10. Mom, I think I'm turning into a

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 10**

Carley awoke to the sound of laughter coming from outside her bedroom door. She stretched and checked her watch, seeing it read 09:10.

"Holy shit, I've slept in!" She exclaimed, practically throwing her vest and jeans on and opening their front door a crack. She saw Lilly sat on watch while Katjaa and Ben relaxed on the sofa by the RV. Kenny was banging a large rock against the fence, obviously trying to reinforce it at least some more. The thing that melted her heart, though, was the sight of Lee playing soccer with Clementine and Duck. They two youngsters were running circles around the much older man, laughing happily as they passed the ball between them. Lee seemed to be working up a slight sweat, running his arm across his brow often and puffing out breaths. Clementine looked up for a millisecond and screeched with happiness when she saw her mother.

Lee quickly told the kids to keep playing without him and walked over, unbuttoning his shirt so it hung loosely at his sides.

"I hope you don't mind me asking." He started, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently. "But those pills…did he… you know?"

"Yeah, I think so." She replied, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "I can't really remember much."

He nodded, not exactly knowing how to reply. Here was a woman who had been to hell and back, all for a warm meal. His first thing to do when he was nervous was to put up his so-called 'humour shields'.

"Well, it seems like forever since you last took the morning after pill." He laughed, seeing her give a slight chuckle, too. She nodded, moving her hair away from her face with her slender hand.

"True. The last time we had to was before we started trying for Clem." She agreed, hugging into her husband. He kissed her forehead and squeezed her gently.

"Yeah. And we both remember how that turned out." He shrugged. His voice seemed monotonous. Carley mentally scolded herself.

"_God damn it! You know how touchy he is about that!" _She inwardly spat. Numerous tests had revealed that Clementine was a one-in-a-million chance. He definitely couldn't have any more children, despite them still never using contraception.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" She started to apologise, when…

"Don't apologise. I should be apologising to _you_." He muttered, scratching the back of his neck and running his hand through his hair. Had his face not been so serious, she would have laughed at how similar he was to his father when he did that. "You went through all sorts of shit, all because I couldn't control my temper. I know he did it to get revenge at me. I threatened him when he grabbed Clem. If it wasn't for me, you would have made it out of there completely unscathed."

"Lee, look at me." Carley said quietly, locking eyes with him and cupping his cheek. "There was nothing you could have done to stop it. I know it feels like it, but even if you did, he would have went after Lilly. I'd rather me, an old decrepit, have to go through it that a young girl. Don't ever blame yourself because I know you couldn't have done anything." She insisted, tears brimming in her eyes. This thoroughly worried him and he pulled her into a tight hug, smiling when she returned it.

From somewhere to their left, Kenny shouted in celebration and the sound of radio static came to life. Everyone turned their heads, just as a masculine voice started talking.

"_WABE: Atlanta has other news from around the country. It is not, repeat, not just Georgia that is affected. Other parts of the world have succumbed to the plague. So, hold your loved ones close and keep living."_

"Steve…" Carley whispered, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth in shock and grief. "Oh my god Steve…"

Lee just brought her further into the embrace, kissing the side of her head and allowing her a while to adjust.

**Two Hours Later**

Lee sat on his old lawn chair, reading one of his books. It was quite interesting, as it was about the Holocaust and Adolf Hitler. After all, he wasn't a history professor for nothing. Carley was up on the RV, keeping a look out for any unexpected visitors while Clementine had ran to the toilet not long before. The others were in their rooms, spending time with their families or sleeping.

"Daddy!" He heard, snapping him from his thoughts with a jolt. Clementine was sprinting towards him, tears running down her face and her arm wrapped around her stomach. Worry flooded through him and he ran to her, kneeling to her level and hugging her in tightly.

"Hey, it's okay baby girl." He soothed, rubbing her back and taking her cap off so he could see every detail of her teary, scrunched up face. "What's wrong?"

Carley ran over from behind them, clutching her chest and looking concerned.

"Honey, it's okay." She said, taking the cap off her husband and setting it on the floor next to her. "You can tell us."

"I… I t-think I'm turning into a w-walker!" She sobbed, clutching her father's shirt desperately. Both of their hearts dropped and they looked at each other, their eyes wide.

"No…" The woman breathed, becoming still and terrified. It had to be wrong. Their daughter couldn't die.

"Sweetheart, look at me…" Lee said softly, moving her away gently. She did as he asked, looking up at him through watery eyes. "I need you to tell me if you were bitten or not."

"No…" She said after a while, wiping her tears away forcefully. She winced slightly, gripping her stomach tighter. "I wasn't bitten…"

Carley visibly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Why did you think you were gonna turn into a walker, sweetheart?" She asked, taking her tiny hand in her larger (but still quite small) ones.

"I… My stomach really hurts and there was a lot of blood when I went to the bathroom…" She admitted, looking downwards at her shoes, obviously embarrassed.

Lee blanched. If this was what he thought it was… he was screwed. How were they supposed to explain what periods were to an eight year old?! He looked over to his wife who looked like she was positively high off happiness and relief.

"You want to help me with this, Lee?" Carley asked, nudging his arm and smiling mischievously.

"I… I'm… Uh…" He stammered, a blush quickly creeping up his neck and he pointed to the abandoned lawn chair that was perched atop the RV. "I've got to take over your watch."

She chuckled and started leading Clementine to her motel room, only looking back at her husband to send him a small, proud smile.

As soon as they were gone, he grimaced. His daughter was going through puberty. He had always said he'd do anything for his little girl. That he'd die for her if need be. But what happened when boys came into the question? This was surely not going to be fun.

**A/N- ****Okay guys, quite a family-oriented chapter here XD I thought you'd want a bit of funny after the doomed pit that was last two chapters. Please R&R? HPTwin OUT!**


	11. Escaping

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 11**

**A Week Later**

Thankfully, the dreaded 'The Birds and the Bees' talk went off without a hitch. The only problem being the hilarity that followed Duck asking the eight-year-old whether she wanted to go swimming with him and Kenny in a nearby creek. Long story short, it ended with her screaming after him:

"_Don't ask me again for five to seven days!"_

The confused boy left her room with a hurt look, running over to meet his dad, who was waiting patiently by the gate. Lee had quickly sent an apologetic look his way, hoping to god that the boy didn't take it to heart. He had taken a fair few hormonal snaps in his time and knew they couldn't help it.

Other than that, everything had progressed normally. Carley had finally showed him her injuries, which he immediately cleaned and dressed. It broke his heart to see what that bastard had done. She seemed to be okay from the outside, besides the odd flinch when someone startled her from behind or touched her shoulder without warning, but he knew differently. Her normally bright emerald orbs were void and empty of that spark. She kept up the act purely for Clementine and he knew it.

It was on one of the days he and Kenny had made a run back to Macon that Lilly had pulled him aside to complain about missing medical supplies and a broken flashlight. He had initially brushed it off, claiming that she hadn't been sleeping and that paranoia wasn't good for anyone.

"You know what, Lee? Maybe just this once you should go against the group. _Even if it's just to prove me wrong._ Please, I'm _asking_ you to do this." She said, practically pleading with him.

"Alright," He groaned, holding his hands up into a surrender. "But if this turns tits-up and Carley catches wind, it was _your_ idea."

"Thank you." Lilly smiled, sighing in relief. Her face suddenly became more serious. "How are they? Clem and Carley, I mean."

The man sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair, leaning back in his chair, frustrated.

"Well, you know what happened to Carley at the St John's dairy. So you can guess how she's feeling right now." He muttered, looking at the woman opposite him. Her brown hair was hung loosely around her thin, bony shoulders and her brown tank-top was covered in nearly four months' worth of filth, but she seemed to be working the hardest out of all of them, hence the almost constant look of anger. "Plus, it doesn't help that Clementine got her first period last week. Only I could have two super-hormonal women as a wife and daughter."

Lilly winced from pure sympathy for the young girl, laughing at his dumb luck.

"God help her." She chuckled, standing to open the door for him. "Tell her that her Aunt Lilly welcomes her to womanhood."

He stood and walked out of the room, turning back to smile at her. "Will do. And remember what I said." He pointed at her with a mock-glare. "It's _your_ fault."

**Three Hours Later**

The slow rocking motion of the RV was enough to make anyone sick. Having found a stash of meds in a grate on the perimeter and taking them straight to Lilly, none of them were expecting the ensuing fight. Bandits (that's right, bandits!) had turned up out of the blue, gathering every member of the group in the parking lot and insisting that they had stolen their supplies. Of course, it was left to Lee again, with the help of Lilly and Carley, to pick off the attackers while Kenny attempted to start their escape vehicle.

Ben, Clementine, Duck and Katjaa watched on helplessly as their friends (or, in Clementine's case, parents) fought for their escape.

Now, though, they were all crowded together in the back of that damned rusty RV. Carley, Lee and Clementine were sat on the old couch with Ben huddled in the corner, his head in his hands.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck." He chanted, his voice barely audible and his hands trembling as he ran them through his hair.

Lilly observed this with curiosity, standing next to the kitchen cubby and tapping her fingers against it impatiently.

"Everything's fine, Ben." Carley soothed, running her hand over the young man's shoulder comfortingly. They all heard Kenny scoff from the driver's seat and fixed their attention on the matter at hand. Lilly glared at the smaller woman.

"Everything's not fine. We need to figure out how this happened." She growled, standing to her full height and squaring her shoulders. "We just lost everything."

"Well we're lucky as shit to have this RV." Kenny piped in, obviously trying to be the voice of reason.

"And nobody died."

"Somebody in here caused this." Lilly growled, not taking any notice of anyone.

"Settle down back there; the bandits have had our number for weeks!" Kenny shouted over the rumble of the engine. "It would have happened sooner or later!"

"This is different." Lilly answered, looking around menacingly at the rest of the group. "Somebody was working with them. Whoever it was was slipping them our meds. They didn't get their last package, so they attacked."

"Calm down! This is nuts!" Kenny shouted once again.

"Lee found a bag of supplies hidden outside the wall!" She countered, looking to him for back up. Carley turned her head in shock, disappointment written all over her features, all the while trying to console the young man to her right.

"It's true." He admitted after a long pause. Fiddling with his wedding band as he normally would when he was under pressure or nervous.

"So, Carley, is there something you want to say?" Lilly sneered, glaring at the older woman.

"What?" She exclaimed, shocked by the accusations. She clutched her heart and her breathing quickened. "How could you…?"

"You're always so eager to see what supplies Lee and Kenny picked up." She answered, cutting her off. "And you never talk about your family. You could be related to those bastards for all we know!"

"Leave the dead, Lilly." Lee muttered, standing up alongside her and trying to calm her down.

"My family are NOT some meth-riddled forest people." Carley growled, her eyes once again flashing to a steely green. "They're good, hardworking people who haven't missed a day of church in their lives."

"Come on, Lilly!" Her husband exclaimed along with her. "She's not a traitor!"

"Thanks hon'."

"She can fight her own battles." Lilly snapped back, glaring at both of them now. "Unless there's something going on here that implicates you both."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Like, look, maybe we should, uh, vote or something like that." Ben suggested, obviously feeling better than he had earlier. This didn't go down so well, as the leader's eyes were now focused solely on him. Lee started before she could say anything to the young (and quite scared) man.

"Let's just let it go." He said softly, gripping onto the sink for support as the RV went over a particularly bumpy patch of road. "People make mistakes and yeah, this is a fucking doozy, but it's not worth it, Lilly. We'll sort this out when we've all had a decent meal and some sleep."

"Then what do we NOT forgive?" She asked, raising her voice slightly, obviously on the edge. "Honestly, tell me. Kenny can kill my dad; Carley can steal from us? Where's the line?"

"Nobody was stealing ANYTHING!" Ben borderline shouted, once again gaining Lilly's attention.

"Was it both of you?"

"WHAT?!" The young man breathed, shocked and scared. Honestly, I don't think there was a single person in that RV that wasn't scared.

"I've seen you two together. Was it both of you?"

"Look, just let me out. I didn't do it but I don't like this; I don't like where it's headed." Ben stammered, shaking his head and folding his arms across his chest. Lilly leaned close to him, looking directly into his eyes.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't have anything to do with it." She growled, keeping her light brown orbs fixated on his.

"Lilly, lay off of him." Carley sighed, her voice tired. She leaned forward, running a hand through her short hair. Ben made as if to talk when…

_**SLAM!**_

"Shit!"

"What's going on up there?"

"I hit something, we gotta stop!" Kenny replied, not taking his eyes off the road.

"All right," Lilly sneered, moving her face close to Ben's once again. "We can deal with this now, then."

They all felt the RV rumble to a stop and sway as Kenny pulled over, the breaks only squealing slightly.

"Ken, is it safe?" Lee asked cautiously, standing by the door as if he were guarding it.

"Should be." He replied, checking the road before jumping out and slamming his door behind him.

"Everybody out." Lily ordered, walking over to the tall man and squaring up to him.

"Lilly…" He warned, his voice low and dark. She just brushed him off and pushed past him.

Everyone crowded out of the vehicle with the exception of Clementine, who was ordered to stay by her mother.

"God dammit." Kenny groaned, kneeling down by the front of the RV. "Everyone, keep your eyes peeled."

"You know what, we shouldn't just kick you out, we should hear what everybody thinks." Lilly continued, almost as if they weren't interrupted at all.

"I think you should chill out." Ben muttered, his voice cracking slightly.

"I'm not gonna take this!" Carley exclaimed, gesturing to the young man beside her. "You can push Ben around but you CANT push me around."

"I' really sorry you feel that way." Lilly sneered, sarcasm evident in her voice. "I'm starting to think maybe it was both of you."

"There's no way it was Carley." Lee spoke up, moving over to his wife and staring shocked at the other woman. "It was somebody else. It could've even been someone sneaking into our camp."

"That's ridiculous. That's what you think?"

"Yes." He replied without hesitation.

"Okay. Fine, then." She said, turning her attention to the man by the front of the RV. "Kenny, what do you think?"

"I don't know! Fuck! Just, stop, would ya?!" He shouted, yanking at the undead creature.

"Well your vote counts for you AND Katjaa."

"We don't need all these VOTES! What do I have to do for you to trust me? I'll do ANYTHING!" Ben practically screamed, his eyes moving wildly in their sockets.

"Stop panicking." Lee soothed, patting him on the shoulder. "Just stop and take a breath."

"Do we need any more evidence than this?!"

"Fuck EVIDENCE! Stop treating him like this!" Carley shouted, scared now for all of them. Ben looked to her as a (sort of) mother figure, helping her out as much as he could.

"Shut up Carley!" Lilly turned back to the older man. "Kenny, what's it going to be?"

"Just give me a damn minute!"

"Ben, you have until that walker is dealt with to tell me it was her and not you."

"Stop this, Lilly. You're torturing him!" Carley pleaded, looking at her with desperate eyes. "He's just a kid. As much as he denies it, he is."

"Tell her Ben. Just do it." Lee groaned, closing his eyes for the upcoming attack from his wife. He was not disappointed.

"Lee! Jesus, who are you right now?!"

"Please. Can we just get back in the RV?" Ben pleaded, outwardly panicking.

"That's not happening."

"You think you're some tough bitch, don't you? Like nothing can hurt you, but you're just a scared little girl. Get the fuck over it." Carley shouted, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring. "Take a page from Lee's book and try helping somebody for once."

The sound of squelching hit their ears and they all turned to the source of the noise. Kenny was standing over the still walker, his boots covered in blood and brains and his brow sweaty. He turned to everyone just as Lilly raised her gun in front of her, aiming directly for Carley's turning head. H_ow dare she say that?_ Didn't she understand just _how_ much she had done for the group?

_**BANG!**_

Carley fell to the ground, a bullet hole just below her left eye and blood trickling slowly down her cheek. Lee's world stopped turning. He collapsed to the ground next to her, cradling her body in his arms. He shook her gently, trying desperately to wake her.

"CARLEY!" He bellowed, knowing what was happening. He was losing her. "Come on, hon. Fourteen years. You can't leave me now." His voice was hoarse as he whispered to her, wanting desperately for it to be a dream.

He didn't notice Katjaa approach them and put her fingers to Carley's Jaw. Nor did he notice Clementine watching helplessly from the doorway as her parents sat on the cold, hard ground. She had never seen her dad cry. And the sight broke her heart.

"M-mommy?" The tiny girl breathed, holding onto the door frame to keep herself up. She launched herself next to her dad, collapsing beside him and tugging on her mother's jeans. "Please don't be dead. Please."

Lee turned his head away from the woman in his arms at the sound of a gun being unloaded. Kenny held Lilly against the side of the RV, growling as Ben took the magazine out of the firearm, shaking fiercely. He tore his eyes away when he felt Clementine begin to sob beside him. He wrapped his free arm around her and she hugged into his side.

"Lee." They both heard Katjaa's voice call, breaking them from their grief. Her blue eyes were filled with sadness but still held that tiny glimmer of hope that so many people lacked. "There's still a pulse. She's alive."

_**A/N-**_Oh god, please don't kill me! I noticed a lot of people had went this way with their stories, having Carley be shot but live. So, why not? Like I said, it is an AU, so she isn't dead. I know you hate me and I'm so sorry! I'll update as fast as I can. Please R&R? HPTwin OUT!


	12. I've Always Loved Westerns

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 12**

He was too shocked to do anything. She was alive!

"We need to get her inside." Katjaa instructed. Lee gestured for Clementine to go back in the RV as he stood and took his wife into his arms bridal-style. He carefully made his way into the vehicle and laid her down gently on the sofa, clasping her hand tightly in his.

Eventually, Katjaa walked over, drying her hands on a clean towel. She took one look at Carley's pale, sweaty face and spoke up once again.

"What's her blood type?" She asked, flicking the light switch above the seats on and resting next to Lee. He thought it over, trying desperately to remember.

"AB Positive." He answered after much thought, smoothing his wife's hair down and fully taking in her face. A bullet hole was now on her left cheek, but some shrapnel had obviously made its way up to her eye, as there was blood leaking out of her closed eyelid.

"Okay, do you or Clementine have the same blood group as her?" She asked, dabbing at the wound and looking at the shaking man in sympathy. "I need to know, Lee."

"Uh, no." He replied, shaking his head and wracking his brains. Surely there was something he could do. "But, uh, I'm O-Negative, if that counts for anything."

"Hallelujah." Katjaa sighed in relief, patting him on the shoulder. "You won't mind if you're her first donor, would you?"

"Of course." He nodded eagerly, rolling his sleeve up and sticking out his arm. The woman nodded and busied herself, collecting all of the supplies needed. Thankfully, they had taken to keeping at least some emergency supplies in the RV at all times, in case something like this happened.

"Okay, this is going to sting a bit." She said, taking his arm and trying to find a vein. She eventually found one and stuck the needle in, making him wince slightly. "Sorry, I'm used to doing this with dogs, not people. Just tell me if I'm hurting you."

"That doesn't matter." He brushed off, not daring to move his arm. They both heard shouting from outside, coupled with a slow rocking of the RV. Clementine squeaked at the sudden motion, tears leaking from her eyes. Lee held his movable arm out and invited her for a hug. "Come here, sweetheart."

She did as he asked, looking at her mother with terrified eyes. He wrapped his arm around her comfortingly and pulled her onto his lap, smoothing her hair lovingly.

"I-is she going to be okay?" She whispered, not being able to take her eyes off the woman before her. She was so pale. Her father kissed her temple gently, assuring her without words that she would be fine. Especially if he had anything to do with it.

He felt Katjaa disconnect the pipe from the IV line in his arm.

"Okay, sweetie." She muttered, bandaging his arm up so the device wouldn't fall out. "I've got enough for now. Just don't stray too far in case she needs more."

"Yes ma'am."

**Two Hours Later**

Lee's breath caught in his throat when he next saw his wife. She was still laid on the uncomfortable couch with her head propped up on a patchwork pillow, but the left side of her face was now covered in fresh, white gauze. He fell to his knees next to her, clutching her hand tightly and running his fingers through her sweaty, brown hair. He looked up to the woman that was leaning next to the sink, washing her hands.

"I managed to remove the bullet, but I couldn't save her eye. I'm so sorry, Lee." She whispered so the little girl who was up front with Kenny and Duck wouldn't hear. He held up his hand, telling her to keep her apologies.

"You couldn't save her eye, but you saved _her_." He smiled, his voice cracking. "For that I'm eternally grateful."

He saw her sit down in the table nook, not daring to leave her patient. They sat in silence for a while, just willing for Carley to wake up.

"So…" Katjaa said eventually, trying to keep his mind occupied as well as her own. "How did you two meet? If you don't mind me asking."

"My brother, Brad, was throwing a New Year's party for all of his college friends. I was made chaperone since I was two years older than them." He chuckled, remembering how his parents were willing to pay him to go to that party. "I basically moped by the punch bowl the entire night. That is until this tiny woman with gorgeous green eyes came over to talk. That was fourteen years ago."

"Wow. So, you got married pretty young, I take it?"

"Yeah." He nodded, smiling at the memory. "I was twenty-three and Carley was twenty-one."

"So, you had Clementine after… four years?" She summed up, thinking before asking. He nodded in response.

"I… we'd been trying for three years." He whispered, clutching Carley's hand that tiny bit more. "Eventually, Carley somehow got it into her head that there was something wrong with her. So, we made an appointment with the fertility nurse and did a lot of tests. It turned out that _I_ was the problem."

He paused, reliving the emotions that rushed through him that day. He would never forget the way his mother's face fell, creasing her brow in despair.

"Then, two months later, Clementine came into existence." He smiled, thinking about how it felt when he held her for the first time. Or when she was laid, gunky and screaming, on Carley's chest; her tiny face red and scrunched up. "I was possibly the happiest man alive when we told our parents about becoming grandpas and grandmas. They were so thrilled, especially as my brother showed no signs of wanting to become a parent yet."

As much as he hated it, he felt the stress of the day begin to consume him and slowly leaned his head back to rest on the soft couch cushions. It seemed like hours later when he awoke to the sounds of coughing behind him.

"L-lee? Clem?" He heard, recognizing that voice all too well. His head snapped around to meet a single, emerald eye.

"Car…" He whispered, clutching her hand and brushing her hair lovingly. She looked as if she was about to say something when he cut her off. "I know you're confused right now. Do you remember any of what happened?"

"N-no…" She answered, bringing her left hand up to touch her cheek. She grimaced, noticing the thick gauze wrapped around her face and the IV line in her hand. "W-what happened? Is Clementine okay?" She made as if to sit up when he gently pushed her back down.

"She's fine, hon'." He assured, noticing how her eye darted all around the RV, searching for the little girl. "As to what happened… Lilly shot you." He sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"Is that what happened to my face?" She asked, looking absolutely distraught. She moved her hand absentmindedly, trying to feel as much of the gauze as she could.

"Yeah. But, Katjaa couldn't save your eye." He admitted, trying to keep her calm while not lying to her. "I'm so sorry, Car. I should've done something. It's all my fault." He whispered, not daring to look her in the eyes. They had left Lilly by the side of the road, despite her shouting and cursing. After that, he had been consumed with guilt, knowing that he could have done something for her.

She was immediately reminded of how he was all those years ago, having been told about being infertile and it completely broke her heart. She was fine about losing her eye. It didn't matter to her as long as Clementine and Lee were safe. She could have shot both of her eyes out if it meant their safety.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, Lee." She whispered, touching his arm and just then noticing the thick bandage covering his own IV line. Her eyes widened in realization. "You don't have the same blood type as me… how did-?"

"O negative." He replied simply, smiling slightly. "It means I'm a universal donor. I can give blood to anyone. At least that's what Katjaa said."

"Well, there you go." She muttered so only he could hear. "You already saved my life. So, let it go? I'm sure no-one saw her with the gun, so it's fine. No hard feelings."

"But-"

"No, Lee. I'm putting my foot down. No more mention of anything being your fault, okay?" She insisted, smiling up at him. He sighed and nodded his head reluctantly. "Now, where's my daughter?"

"Oh, she's _your_ daughter _now_. But when she was screaming at all hours of the night she was _mine_." He joked, standing and walking over to the driver's compartment. He opened it and said shook Clementine to get her attention, nodding his head. The little girl practically leapt over the seats to get to her mother, how was chuckling by this time.

"Mom!" She shrieked, skidding to a halt and hugging Carley tightly. Carley just brushed her daughter's hair with her pale hand and held her tightly, not daring to let go. She allowed her to snuggle into the embrace and kissed her temple lovingly. Eventually, Clementine moved away to look at the extent of the older woman's injuries. "How's your eye?"

"It'll be fine. I just need an eye patch now." She replied, winking at Lee and smiling when he grinned back from ear to ear.

"We'll just have to call you Rooster Cogburn from now on." He laughed, earning a one-eyed glare from his wife. He knelt down beside her and whispered in her ear for only her to hear.

"You know, I always _loved_ westerns."

**A/N-**** Hi guys! Thanks for the awesome reviews! I'm planning to do two or three more chapters for this, so watch out for it! I know you probably hate me for last chapter but… SHE'S ALIVE! I wouldn't kill her off 'cause that'd leave Lee alone again. Please R&R? HPTwin OUT!**


	13. The Homeless Guy and Snake Plissken

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 13**

"Come on, Snake Plissken." Carley heard, rousing her from her dreamless sleep. She opened her eye and snapped her eye patch down, seeing her husband sitting on the edge of the sofa and smiling at her. "Time to wake up. Kenny said we've reached an impasse."

She grumbled heavily, sitting up and kneading her eye sleepily. Hearing a chuckle, she glared at him. If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under.

"Come on, don't be like this." Lee groaned, standing up and making his way to the door. He turned back one last time. "You've got your patch now, so you can't slack off work."

"Bastard…" She grunted, standing shakily and following him outside. Her eye widened in shock when she saw what Kenny had been talking about.

"A fucking train?" She asked, turning to Lee, who was eyeing it with suspicion.

"Swear." Clementine muttered, tugging on Carley's jeans and looking up at her with big, innocent eyes.

"Sorry, sweetheart." She quickly apologised, rubbing her daughter's back gently. "Come on, let's go sit down."

"Okay…" Clementine said, hanging her head in disappointment and hugging her father as she passed him.

Duck was clinging to his mother desperately, looking as if he would fall over if he didn't as the two women hustled their children into the clearing. Two overturned logs seated them while the guys checked out the train.

"Guys! If you could find some water… if there's a dining car… Duck would appreciate it." Katjaa called out to their retreating backs, cradling Duck on her lap. Carley noticed the way Lee's forehead crinkled in sympathy before he nodded and walked off.

Clementine made as if to sneakily follow him when Carley grabbed the back of her dress and pulled her backwards, embracing her from behind and keeping a hold on the squirming child.

"Oh no, little lady." She laughed, hugging her tightly. "You're staying within my eyesight."

"Yes mom…"

**With The Boys**

"Hey, Lee!" Kenny laughed, looking at the scene by the clearing. "Clementine just tried to sneak by Carley. Wow, her eyesight's damn near perfect!"

"Yeah, well. Clem's like me when I was her age. I was never in the house." Lee laughed back, making his way along the side of the train car. "Plus, Carley was a reporter. Her eyesight's always been 20/10. I can't get away with shit."

"Uh, guys. Can I ask you a question?" Ben asked, seeing the two older men nod. "Is being married really as bad as everyone says? 'Cause one guy in our school got married when his girlfriend got pregnant, and he said he regretted it every day."

Lee took one look at his wife and daughter, breaking out in a grin and turning back to the young man.

"Truthfully, Ben?" He asked, seeing him nod eagerly. He reached out and patted his shoulder. "I got married when I was twenty-three and haven't regretted it since. Maybe it's just 'cause that boy from your school got married for the wrong reasons."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He grinned, lowering his hand and reminiscing. "I'm not saying that marriage is easy, though. Carley and I have had more arguments than I can count on my fingers and toes. But, it's worth it. I got to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love… Now, come on. We'll search this freight train and try to get back on track"

All three men nodded, concentrating now on the task at hand. The first thing that caught their attention was a trail of blood leading up to the driver's cab, which they saw had culminated beneath the driver's chair.

"Aw shit!" Kenny groaned, noticing the slumped body in the seat and running a hand over his face. He turned to the two other men and brought his gun out. "Follow my lead, boys. Things could go ugly here."

He slowly opened the cab door, extending his arm so the barrel of his gun hovered a few inches behind the corpses head. Just as he made to pull the trigger, the body slumped, landing face-first on the floor.

"Well, that was a let-down." Ben chuckled, walking in and dragging the body away from the control panel, accidentally bumping his arm against one of the many flashing buttons.

**Back With The Girls (And Duck)**

"Why can't I go with them?" Clementine whined, sitting on the ground and resting against Carley's legs. The older woman rolled her eye, chuckling to herself.

"Because you and your father are so alike." She explained, threading her fingers through the girl's curly mop. "You'll more than likely be on too much of a buzz to notice any danger. I'm sorry sweetheart, but you'll have to stay here until we're sure it's safe."

"Okay…"

"Don't mope." Carley groaned, running her hand over her face, only wincing slightly when it ran over her tender scar. "It's for your own good."

A rough cough caught both of their attentions. They looked around, finally focusing on the ill boy resting in his mother's arms. Carley's brow furrowed in suspicion.

"Is Duck feeling okay?" She asked, making her way over and kneeling down next to him. She felt his forehead, sucking in a breath when it burned at her touch. Katjaa looked as if she were about to reply when they were interrupted by the boys returning, muttering amongst themselves.

"Guys…" Lee smiled as he walked over, accompanied by an unfamiliar man with white, messy hair and who looked as if he hadn't washed for a while (even before the outbreak). "This is Chuck. He lives in the freighter."

"Hi." Clementine muttered, peeking out from behind her mother.

"Hey sweetheart." He greeted, kneeling down and waving slightly. The little girl just blushed and buried her face in her mother's leg. He returned his gaze to the adults. "I'm Chuck. Or Charles if you're _fancy_."

"Chuck lives in this thing." Lee explained, taking one look around the group and walking over to his daughter. He knelt down to her level and brought her around to face him. "Hey sweet-pea. Wanna come and check out the train?"

"Can I, mom?" She asked hopefully, giving Carley her best puppy dog eyes.

"Is it safe?" The woman asked her husband, clutching her daughter tightly.

"As far as I can tell."

"Okay than." She smiled, letting go of Clementine. "You can go. Just be _careful_."

**Two Hours Later**

"Okay guys," Kenny smiled, approaching the lounging adults with a smile on his face. "Thanks to Lee and Clementine, the train's good to go. We can be out of here in a flash."

"Uh, Ken." Lee interrupted, raising his hand in a silent apology. Surely the older man wouldn't kill him, would he? "I was just wondering… since we left all of our supplies back at the inn, why don't me and you take a trip to my old house."

"Why would we want to do that? It'll have been looted." Kenny shrugged, running his hand over his face in frustration.

"We always had some stuff stashed in the basement." Lee explained, standing and helping his wife and daughter up. "It'll be untouched."

"Okay." Kenny nodded, thinking it over. "How far away is it?"

"Twenty minutes' walk tops."

"Alright." He nodded, grinning happily. He turned to the girls, Ben, Chuck and Duck. "You guys need to get in that boxcar. Carley, you're in charge. Don't open the doors unless you hear one of us shouting."

"Yes boss." Carley laughed, making a small salute and clutching Clementine close to her. Lee walked over and kissed her gently, earning a small slap to the shoulder. "Come off it, you! Maybe later."

"Okay, dear…" He groaned, kneeling down to Clementine's height and hugging her tightly.

As they walked away, they heard the boxcar close.


	14. Home Sweet Home

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 14**

**A/N URGENT!- **_Okay guys! I know I said that there was only going to be a couple more chapters, but I've decided to go up until the end of episode 5 :D that means about five more! Yay! Happy dance? Okay, I've gone on enough; on with the story. HPTwin out!_

Within half an hour, Lee and Kenny made it to the suburban neighbourhood without trouble. Sure it had taken them longer than expected, but what _did_ go as expected in the new world?

Lee's eyes filled with emotion when he caught sight of his home… the same home they moved into when he and Carley were first married… the same home that they brought Clementine into. Was it the same as he remembered? Would their belongings still be there?

"Which one, bud?" Kenny asked, smiling sympathetically at his friend. Lee raised his hand and pointed, setting off towards it. "You sure you're okay about this? I know I asked you ten minutes ago, but… you know it's not too late to back out…"

"I know… I'm fine." Lee assured, shaking his head as they approached the front door. He simply produced his key from his pocket and unlocked it easily. Seeing the other man's look of confusion, he chuckled at himself. "I've kept it on me since this entire fiasco started. Carley takes the piss out of me for it, but… who's laughing now?"

They both laughed for a few seconds before walking in slowly and keeping their guard up. After all, there could be anything around the corner.

Lee stopped for a second and took in the photos that adorned the walls. The first one was of Lee, Carley and Clementine on the girl's eighth birthday. A huge grin was on Clementine's face as her parents helped her cut her birthday cake. Carley and Lee were cheering and beaming down at their daughter.

The other was one of their wedding photos, showing Lee and Carley kissing in the middle of their first dance. Brad was grinning cheekily in the background, pulling a funny face.

Lee was mildly aware of Kenny's eyes on him. Obviously he was giving the other man some space… after all, this was his home! He didn't want to go where it wasn't his business. The younger man turned and smiled, gesturing to the cupboard under the stairs.

"Basement's in there." He said simply, throwing the keys to Kenny and smiling. "You go down there and get started. I want to go get some personal things… I think Carley would appreciate having our photo albums and other stuff around…"

"You don't need to explain yourself, bud." Kenny chuckled as he opened the cupboard and switched on his flashlight. "This is your home… besides, I think Carley needs that stuff after everything that's happened to her… some normalcy."

Then, Kenny disappeared, leaving Lee by himself. He shook his head and barrelled up the stairs, turning into their bedroom when he reached the top. Taking one look around the room, he sighed in remembrance and quickly made his way over to their closet where he grabbed the duffel bag he would use on camping trips.

He grabbed his and Carley's winter jackets, plus a few pairs of underwear before moving down the hallway to Clementine's room. Smiling, he leaned against the doorway.

"God, hard to think that ten years ago… this was my study!" Lee observed, chuckling to himself. The walls were now painted a light purple and a fluffy white carpet covered the floor. In the corner was Clementine's bed and next to it resided her desk which was still piled up with drawings and homework.

He approached her white closet and reached in to grab her red winter coat. His hand thumbed the material for a few seconds before throwing it in the bag with everything else. Soon, some underwear for Clementine was added.

Slowly, he walked downstairs to their living room and laughed when he saw Carley's coffee mug on the coffee table, still containing some of the dark liquid. His feet made a soft thumping as he made his way over to their bookshelf, which contained all of their photo albums. He thumbed the spines before aligning them carefully on top of the clothes in the bag.

"You okay, buddy?" Kenny asked from behind him. He turned and smiled, hitching the bag up on his arm and gesturing for the door. "Get everything you wanted?"

"Yeah. I got our coats and some of our photo albums." Lee smiled, looking at his friend in amusement. "Did you?"

"Yep. There was a shitload of stuff down there." Kenny beamed as he made his way to the door. "Soups, powdered juice, jerky… even some candy for Duck, Clementine and Ben."

"Yeah…"

**Forty Minutes Later**

With the added weight of their bags, it took them even longer than their original journey to get to the train.

"Carley!" Lee bellowed as they approached the clearing. "Open up, hon'!"

He saw the sliding door open and Clementine came barrelling out to meet them with a huge grin across her face and Carley trailing behind her.

"Dad!" She cried, flinging herself into his arms.

"Hey sweet-pea!" Lee greeted, straightening up and ruffling his daughter's hair affectionately. "I've got something for you!"

"Really?"

"Yeah." He smiled as he picked up the discarded duffel bag again. "C'mon. Let's get on the train first."

"Everything okay?" Carley asked as they met up with her at the boxcar door.

"Yeah." Lee nodded, kissing her gently and slinging the duffel bag into the train. "It was so weird being back there."

"I bet it was…" She muttered, kissing him back softly.

"Eww!" Clementine squealed, covering her eyes in mock disgust at the sight of her parents kissing. "Do you guys _have_ to do that?!"

"_Your_ child has spoken, Lee." Carley teased, blushing slightly and patting his arm.

Kenny walked past them, muttering something along the lines of 'starting the train' and slinging the supplies alongside Lee's duffel bag.

"Come on then." Lee said suddenly, startling Carley slightly. She gave a slight wince at the harsh sound in his voice and he reached out to touch her arm apologetically. "Sorry hon'."

"It's okay… just… warn me next time?" She asked as she hopped up into the train car and held out her hand for Clementine to take. The little girl smiled and took it, grumbling all the while about adults making kissy face. Then, surprising Lee, she turned and held her tiny hand out for him.

"You think you can manage?" He asked, taking it and hoisting himself up using the door as leverage. Clementine blushed slightly and took up residence in the corner. Carley took her place beside her and wrapped a protective arm around her small shoulders. Lee smiled softly as he took one of the photo albums and placed it softly in his wife's lap. She moved her eye up to look at him sceptically.

"Are these…?" She whispered as tears brimmed in her emerald orb. He nodded and sat beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and watching happily as she flipped it open to the first photograph.

"It's the new year's party…" Lee laughed, smiling down at their younger selves. They were embracing tightly and looked to be dancing. It must have been after their kiss because there was a slight smudge of lipstick on the corner of his mouth. "The day we met…"

Carley snuggled into his shoulder and smiled against his chest. Despite the apocalypse and her injuries, she was happy. She had her daughter and her husband by her side… that's all that mattered to her.


	15. Chapter 15 (IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!)

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 15**

"Lee!" Katjaa's voice echoed, waking lee from his peaceful slumber. "I need you, right now."

"What's up Kat?" He asked, the deep rumble of his voice barely a whisper as to not wake his sleeping wife and daughter. He saw Ben's eyes focus on him through the dark.

"I need you to get Ken." She whispered, her voice dead. She hastily grabbed for a nearby cloth and dabbed a small trickle of blood from her son's face. "He's… he's out of time." She choked, looking up at the tall man.

"I'll go." He replied, stroking the young boy's hair caringly before moving to the door. He made his way along the train with his hands in his pockets. How was he supposed to say this to his friend? Duck's dad?

Before he knew it, he was standing behind Kenny, who was sat in the drivers seat and staring out at the long stretch of track.

"You… uh… you need to stop the train, Ken." Lee said softly, internally hating himself. When he didn't get a response, he held out the bloodied tissue that Katjaa had discarded. "Kenny."

"What?" He replied, obviously knowing that the 'deaf' act wasn't going to work. He didn't look at the other man. "I'm busy."

"Ken." Lee urged, making him look around.

"What the hell's that?"

"Your son's blood." Lee sighed, dropping the tissue and closing his eyes. He knew this would happen. He knew that Kenny wouldn't listen.

"Get outta here, Lee." He growled back, not daring to look at his friends face.

"You know he's dying." The younger man whispered as he reached out to touch his friend's shoulder. Kenny just shrugged off the grip and glared.

"Nobody knows shit! He'll be fine!"

"He won't be." Lee croaked, fighting away his emotions. "He's going, Kenny."

It was asif a switch had been flipped. Kenny suddenly looked as if he were about to burst into tears as he argued.

"What's the goddamn deal? He's a little sick, but we can't just quit." He snapped, turning his head to look at his friend. "It's a scratch. He's not like the others. Jesus, all ya'll are just makin' it worse."

"You're in denial!" Lee shouted, hoping that a violent approach would finally wake the other man up.

"And you've given up! On Duck, on EVERYONE!" Kenny shouted back, obviously trying to gather some strength for the upcoming battle.

"STOP IT GODDAMNIT!"

"Fuck you, Lee!"

"You're gonna listen, Kenny." Lee growled as Kenny stood to square up to the other man. He continued, his voice taking a dangerous edge. "I don't know what the hell's wrong with you, but you need to lock it up. Be a man here." He said, nudging Kenny's shoulder. This seemed to make him more angry.

"Oh, you want a piece of me?" Kenny asked, narrowing his eyes. "Is that it?"

In response, Lee shoved him hard in the chest, making him fall backwards against the console.

"Yeah, I do." He smirked as if nothing had happened. "You're acting like nothing's wrong, and somebody's gotta knock some sense into you.

Then, Kenny pounced, grappling Lee by the shoulders and making him fall against the controls. Once again, Lee took advantage of his strength and pushed his arm against Kenny's upper chest.

"I told Katjaa that I'd get you to stop this. You bet your ass I'm gonna." He grinned. What he didn't expect was for Kenny to suddenly overpower him, flinging his fists across his face repeatedly.

"Just Leave me – the fuck – alone!" He bellowed, cornering his friend and still swinging his fists madly. Lee didn't even try to fight back, knowing that he just needed to let his anger out. "I don't need – you – and Duck doesn't – need you!"

He saw his go to take another swing and braced himself for the impact.

"You're kid's alright! You don't know what this is like! You fucker!" He screamed before smashing his knuckles into Lee's left cheek. Red blood oozed out from the fresh wound and splattered onto Kenny's t-shirt. "You're not helping my family! You're not helping Clementine and Carley! You're not helping ANYBODY!"

Two more punches and Lee was laid against the console, clutching his side and guarding his head with his shaky hand. His eyes were already darker and his wedding band was splattered with blood from trying to stem the bleeding of his cheek

"I fucking hate you, Lee. DO YOU HEAR ME?!" His face softened slightly and he breathed deeply. Lee noted how his expression became one of despair and confusion before Kenny spoke once again, this time soft and scared. "I…I… I don't know what to do."

"S-stop the train…" Lee groaned, spitting out blood from his mouth and hastily wiping it away.

Kenny's shoulders slumped as he reached for the brakes, pulling it quickly.

"Come on, man." Lee grunted as he clasped Kenny's shoulder and guided him out of the driver's compartment, towards the heartache he knew was imminent.

The first thing they saw was Katjaa, who looked to be on the verge of tears and stroking her son's sweaty hair. Kenny went quickly to his wife's side and hugged her tightly. All Lee could do was approach his own wife and daughter slowly with a sad smile on his face and watch his friends make their impossible decision.

"What happened to your face?" Carley whispered, cupping his cheek in her left hand and turning his head so the red cut was facing her. "Jesus, Lee!"

"I… I got Kenny to stop the train." He said simply, receiving a look that clearly said _'don't fuck with me, Everett'_.

They both looked down upon hearing a sniffle and immediately switched their attention to their daughter, who had tears streaming silently down her cheeks. Carley quickly brought the girl into a warm embrace, hoping to make it somewhat easier.

"Well, who then? Do you want me to do it?" Kenny's voice rang through the silence. Katjaa just stared at him through eyes that were full of despair and Lee knew what he was going to do.

"I- I'll do it." He said closing his eyes, hating what he knew was imminent.

"Lee, thank you, but it should be a parent." Katjaa said softly, threading her fingers through Duck's short hair.

"No parent should have to do this." Lee countered, squeezing Carley's hand softly before walking over to Kenny. After some muttered conversation, Kenny turned to the other man and gave him a sad smile.

"Thank you, buddy." He said, clapping his friend on the shoulder. "We're gon' take him into the forest, so Clementine doesn't have to see. Give us a minute to say goodbye?"

"Of course." He nodded as he watched Katjaa pick her son up into her arms and carry him away. Lee felt a small hand on his and turned to see Clementine looking up at him with a look of sadness.

"Katjaa!" She squeaked, pulling out a piece of folded up paper and running over to the woman. She handed her it and softly stroked Duck's hand. "It's so he'll remember all of us. He can take it with him."

"Thank you, Clementine." The woman whispered, clutching it desperately. "I'm sure he'd love it."

Lee had to admit: The woman had balls.

If he was faced with something like that, he'd be bawling his eyes out by then. No way would he be able to carry Clementine out into the woods to be killed. Neither would Carley.

He saw Carley kneel down with her arms open for her daughter and made his way over to them. The young girl turned to look at him through teary eyes and spoke very softly, as if she was nervous.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to make sure he's okay." Lee sighed, reaching out and taking her hand in his. Behind her, he saw his wife, whose cheeks seemed to be wetter than they were before.

"But how… he's bitten?" Clementine pressed on, looking directly into the chocolate brown eyes of her father.

"By making sure he doesn't come back." He admitted as she moved back to her mother. "Clem, I promise that things will-"

_**BANG!**_

A gunshot pierced the sombre atmosphere and could be heard clearly. Lee was immediately on edge.

"What the-"

"NO!" Kenny's cry sounded and Lee stood quickly, turning to Carley with worried eyes.

"Carley, take Clementine onto the train." He urged. Upon seeing her hesitant look, he continued. "Go. It'll be fine."

He kissed her softly before sprinting into the forest. He couldn't think, only that anything could have happened.

Eventually, after running for what felt like hours, he came to a clearing and stopped short upon seeing knelt sobbing over his wife's lifeless body.

"Kat! Kat! Katjaa!" He called desperately, clinging onto her hand and shaking her shoulders. Disbelief was evident on his face. "Why, Kat? Honey, oh fuckin' God…"

Lee's eyes were focused on Duck's small form that was laying against a nearby tree, evidently still alive. Then, he fixed his gaze back upon the couple on the forest floor.

"Oh my God…" He whispered, finally realizing what had happened. Katjaa hadn't been able to cope. She wanted to be with her son.

Kenny sniffed as he brought his fingers over her eyelids, successfully concealing her azure orbs once and for all. His eyes found the dropped gun and he picked it up in his shaky hand as h stood to face his dying son, who was still breathing with difficulty.

"What do we do?" He asked helplessly, obviously confused and scared beyond belief.

"Give me the gun, Ken. I'll do it." Lee whispered, laying a comforting hand on the other man's shoulder before taking the firearm off him and raising it to point at the ten-year-olds forehead. Before he pulled the trigger, he locked eyes with his friend. "It'll be okay, man."

Kenny nodded and Lee brought his focus back to the task at hand. In his mind, he was wishing to god that Duck would forgive him.

"_I'm so sorry, buddy. You be sure to never stop being Robin…"_

_**BANG!**_

_**A/N- **__**Alright guys, I just wanted to get something off my chest. I'm really insecure about my writing. After receiving some rather nasty PM's, it took me a while to get back into the swing of things. So, if you like the story, please put it into a review? It'll help me a lot. Tell me what you do/don't like about It and why you have that opinion. I know it sounds so bad but those PM's have really given me a knock down. So, until next time HPTwin out!**_


	16. Chuck Strikes Again

**For**** Those You Love**

**Chapter 16**

Lee entered the boxcar after making sure Kenny made it to the driver's cab up front and approached his wife, who was seated next to Clementine. Her legs were dangling over the edge and her eyes were downcast.

"You wanna talk, honey?" He heard Carley ask as she squeezed the girl's shoulders supportively. He saw Clementine shake her head and sat down next to her. The woman's eye turned to him. "Can you take care of Clementine? I'm going to go check on Ben. God knows how he's feeling."

"Yeah..." He mouthed, nudging Clem's shoulder and smiling in what he hoped was a supportive way. "We'll be fine, won't we?"

The girl nodded and Carley sighed before standing up and kissing her forehead. "Don't hesitate to hit him if he gets annoying, okay?" She laughed, moving towards the door and eventually exiting, leaving the father and daughter alone.

"Now mom's gone, you wanna talk?" Lee asked softly once he was sure his wife wouldn't hear. He was always better at getting her to open up, so why should now be any different?

"Uh-uh."

"You understand what happened? _Why_ it happened?" He asked, truly worried for his daughter's sanity. Never had he seen her like that: Truly depressed. She didn't look at him and kept her head down when she answered.

"Yes."

"Alright." He muttered. Obviously, it was worse than she was letting on. He decided to have one last try at getting her to talk. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm just... I'm thinking about what Chuck said." She eventually answered. Only now did he notice that her eyes were full of tears and were slightly red.

"What did chuck say?" He said softly, happy that she had finally opened up to him. He knew that Carley would be upset that she didn't want to talk to her, but he didn't care. "You can tell me, sweet-pea."

"He..." She said, her voice only cracking slightly. She seemed to shrink slightly before she continued. "He said that I'd end up like Duck."

Lee's felt rage stir from his very core. His brow crinkled in anger and his eyes darkened with fury.

"The fuck he did."

"Swear, dad." Clementine said offhandedly, as if she was used to it. Lee's face softened slightly at the sound of his daughter's voice but he still felt the anger towards the homeless man.

"Sorry." He quickly apologized before standing. His fists were clenched and his shoulders were square. "I'm, gonna go talk some sense into him."

"Don't be mad." He heard as he slammed the door shut behind him. He passed Ben and Carley, who was looking shocked. Never had she seen him this angry. The last time he was even remotely angry was at the St. John's Dairy. She felt a shiver go through her at the thought of those... _bastards_. She sent an apologetic look in Ben's direction before setting off after her husband.

"Lee!" She shouted as she neared him. He continued walking, his hands clenched and his jaw set. This only panicked her more. "Hold up a second, Everett!"

"What?" He spat when he stopped, mere feet from the driver's cab. He turned to face her, his eyes ablaze. The only thing that stopped him from shouting was the grieving man he knew would be able to hear every word they were saying.

"Don't take that tone with me." Carley snapped as she approached him. "I'm not the bad guy here. Something's bothering you and it's not me."

"Damn right it's not you." He growled as she walked around him to face him fully. Her good eye was narrowed in suspicion.

"Well what's got you like this, huh?" She asked, getting frustrated now. Never had she had to deal with him so angry.

"Chuck. He's told Clem that she's gonna-" He cut himself off and lowered his voice so his friend wouldn't hear. "Chuck's only told Clem that she's gonna end up like Duck."

"HE SAID WHAT?!" Carley shouted, truly shocked. The sudden noise made Kenny turn with a curious look. Lee dismissed it with a shake of the head and took Carley's biceps in his hands in an effort to keep her in place. By now she had gone on a full-length-angry-rant. "Why the fuck would he tell her that?!"

"I don't know." He said lowly, slowly moving her around so he was nearest to the door once again. "But I'm gonna go and talk some sense into him."

"Do you want me there?" She asked, realizing just how much he had been effected by it. She knew how much he would do for that girl. She knew it would kill him if anything happened to her. Hell, it would kill both of them.

"No." He muttered darkly, shaking his head. She knew that look. It wasn't good. "I want to talk to him man-to-man."

**Five Minutes Later**

He found the man he was looking for outside, leaning against the railing that the front of the train with his hair flying around his head madly. He was completely oblivious to Lee's presence and the thunderous expression on the younger man's face.

"Hey." Lee growled, crossing his arms and leaning against the railing next to him. He was fully aware of Carley's stare from the other side of the glass. She had insisted upon overseeing the conversation, even if Lee didn't want her there with him.

"How 'ya doin'?" Chuck replied, a smile on his face. He seemed happy with himself. This only fuelled Lee's rage.

"Look, I'm just gonna tell you straight out." Lee spat, standing up to his full height, which was a reasonable 6'2". "I couldn't give two shits what reasons you had for telling Clem what you did. But if I even catch wind that you tried it again, you're dead. You understand?"

Chuck stayed quiet, giving himself some time. He didn't want to anger the man before him. He could tell that Lee Everett wasn't one to be messed with. From his booming voice to the way he stood. Everything screamed 'force not to be reckoned with' .

"Look, son." He said eventually, deciding to not anger him even more and simply get to the point. "What I said was true."

"Do you have any idea what you said has done to her?!" Lee asked, shaking his head in frustration. "She's completely broken! I was lucky she told me as much as she did!"

"She'll need to get used to the idea." Chuck interrupted, holding his hand up to silence the younger man. Lee was about to respond when he continued. "I don't want it to happen, but if you keep goin' the way you are... It will." He said lowly, allowing despair to take over his features. "I don't wanna tell you how to do your job, but you should think about teachin' her to defend herself... with a gun."

Lee listened intently to the old man. He didn't like it, but he actually made sense. It also helped that the woman she was closest too was the group sharpshooter.

"That makes sense." Lee nodded, leaning his forearms against the railing and looking at Chuck, who was smiling to himself. "Is there anything else I should do?"

"Cut her hair." He answered quickly, obviously knowing safety precautions. "Just short enough to not be grabbed, but still long enough that she feels comfortable. God knows she doesn't need sunburn on her head through all this. Oh, and map out what you're gonna do when you get to Savannah. Only in case the boat plan doesn't come up trumps."

"That's actually good advice, old man." Lee chuckled, smiling slightly. "I'm sorry about going off on you."

"Don't worry about it, son.

**A/N- This IS going to continue until the end of episode 5! I promise! It may have a few more chapters than I was expecting, but I wanted to get this out to you as fast as possible. Yep, those PMs were bad, but you guys mean so much to me. NOTHING is gonna stop me updating again!**

**Until next time!**


	17. Haircuts Suck, Mom!

**For Those You Love**

**Chapter 16**

"So, what did he say?" Carley asked when he made it back through to her. It was clear to him that she had been nervous and reached out to take her hand. "Did he tell you why he said it?"

"Yeah, he did." He said softly, as to not disturb Kenny, who was still staring out of the driver's cab with a blank look on his face. "He made some valid points... made me see some things I've been doing wrong."

"Doing wrong?" She asked, shaking her head and looking confused. "Lee, you've done everything humanly possible for her. For us. What more could you even _think_ about doing?"

He sighed and clenched his jaw before answering. "Cutting her hair and teaching her how to shoot." He said shortly, giving her hand a small squeeze.

"No." Carley said simply, shaking her head and pursing her lips. "Yeah, I can understand cutting her hair. But I refuse to let my daughter handle a gun."

"Carley, we can argue about this later." He said firmly, moving along the train and dragging her behind him. "But right now, she needs to know that guns aren't something to be scared of. I'm not saying she has to be a sharpshooter. All I'm saying is that she needs to know how they work in case she needs to use one."

They passed Ben and entered the boxcar, closing the door behind them. Lee gulped before approaching the girl who was now playing with her nails nervously. "Hey sweetheart." He said softly, sitting beside her and wrapping his arm around her. Carley sat the other side of her and sent a one-eyed glare in her husband's direction behind the girl's back.

"Did you talk to him?" She asked, taking her mother's hand tightly and staring up at Lee.

"He... I did, Clem. And he's sorry for scaring you." He said, noting just how tiny she looked. Of course, this might have just been his protective nature coming through, but he didn't care. "We're not going to let what he said happen. I promise. But to do that, we need to take some precautions."

"Okay." Clem smiled, giving Carley's hand a squeeze. "That makes sense. What kind of precautions?"

Lee thought for a few seconds and reached to his left and into Chuck's pack, where the older man had assured him there would be scissors. His hand clasped around the metal and he grinned happily. He brought them out and flashed a smile to Carley before answering.

"You're probably not going to like this, honey." He said softly, crinkling his forehead as he tried to think of how to tell her.

"What's happened now, dad?" Clem asked, a tired look on her face, coupled with worry.

"No, nothing bad." He said quickly, rubbing her back and raising his eyebrows. "It's your hair. It's not safe."

The girl's face scrunched up in anger before she spoke, her tone offended. "That's not nice! Are you saying it smells?"

"No!" He once again said quickly, wanting to avoid her anger. "It's getting a little long, so I was thinking we could cut it."

"Why?" Clem asked, letting go of Carley's hand and touching her hair with a wide-eyed look. "I like it like this. Can't we just leave it like it is?"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." He groaned, shaking his head and gripping the edge of the boxcar tighter. "But we need to cut it. D'you remember when Andy St-"

He looked across at Carley, who had stiffened notably at the sound of the name. He felt like slapping himself, but had to continue. Sending her an apologetic look, he finished his sentence. "D'you remember when Andy St. John grabbed it and I got mad?"

"You got mad a lot that day." The girl said.

"I did." He confirmed, sighing loudly. His eyes were focused on his daughter, as he didn't want to see the look on Carley's face. "And we're gonna make sure it doesn't happen again by cutting your hair."

"…Okay…" Clem pouted, looking up at her mother pleadingly. "Please will you do it, mo- Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine, honey." Carley said shakily. Lee looked up at her and felt his heart drop. She looked pale. Really pale. "And I'll cut your hair for you. Don't worry."

"Are you-?" Lee started, only to be cut off with a one-eyed glare. "Okay… I think I'll go see how Ken's holding up…"

"You do that." Carley spat as she knelt up and took the scissors from him. "And this is _not_ over, Everett."

"Yes ma'am."

**Five Minutes Later**

"Hey man." Lee said softly, entering the driver's compartment and smiling sadly at Kenny. He didn't look like he was doing well.

"Hey…"

"I… how're you holding up?" He asked, sitting down in the vacant chair by the window, which was still covered in blood and general dust. Lee brought his hand over to his cheek and winced when he touched his scar.

"I'm… I'm not, buddy." Kenny said lowly, letting his voice crack. He turned his head and glared at his friend. "But I don't suppose you'd understand."

"Why wouldn't I? If you tell me, I might be able to help." He replied, leaning forward in his sea and raising his dark brown eyes to look at the other man. "I can't say I understand, but I can _try_ to. _Only_ if you let me, though."

Kenny sighed and let his thought wander. He thought about everything good that had happened to him. All because of Katjaa. He'd stopped drinking for her and his (then) unborn child. She'd given him everything he'd ever wanted. A son… a _family_. Then, when Duck was born, he had promised the tiny boy that he'd never let anything happen to him. That he'd always protect him and love him.

He felt as if he'd broken that promise. He _knew_ he'd broken that promise.

"Well tough shit, Lee." Kenny finally growled, still not taking his eyes off the tracks ahead. His words were getting gradually louder. "You don't know how I feel and you never _will_. My wife and kid are dead. _No one_ will ever understand."

"You think you're the only man who's ever lost a kid?" Lee said lowly, noting the anger in his friend's words. "You think that you're the only person who feels like they can't protect their family. Well, think again."

"What do you know, Lee?" Kenny shouted, turning his head, his eyes ablaze. "Your kid's alive and well back there. So is your wife. When've you felt like this?"

"A couple of months before everything started." He replied quietly, tensing his jaw and clenching his fist. "Carley and I don't like to tell people because it's in the past and we can't change it... But we lost a baby. She was four months pregnant with our son. And she lost it. She almost died because of it."

He looked up at Kenny with teary eyes. "So don't say that no-one knows how you feel, because I fucking well do. You want to know the difference?" He asked, not waiting for a reply before continuing. "You got to meet your son; tell him that you love him. That should be the most important thing to you right now. You got to spend time with your wife and your son."

He stood and stuffed his hand in his pocket, fighting back the tears that were pricking his eyes. "I'm not trying to offend you. Just remember that you're not alone. And don't take it out on us." He said after taking a couple of calming breaths. His voice was shaky, but he understood how fragile Kenny truly was, so controlled himself. "I'm here for you man."

"I know." Kenny said, looking at Lee apologetically. "I just… I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. I understand what's going on." Lee replied as he walked out of the door and started along the train. It'd hurt him to no end talking about their lost baby. It still hurt him to that day. He felt so guilty, it was almost inhuman.

As he reached the train car once again, Ben's voice roused him from his thoughts and made him stop dead in his tracks.

"Lee… It was me…"

**A/N- ****Hello! I know this is a really slow update but I've had a lot to deal with lately. Not gonna bore you with it, but I wanted to give a shout out to my friend Jo who's helped me a lot. Plus, she's an amazing writer. I know she reads this story, so yeah, this is for you bud! Plus, he friend reads this too, so hello! Haha :P I'll update as fast as I can, but I start college on Monday, so I'm sorry if I don't **** Until next time, bye!**


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